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Does CSS Chaining selectors Work in HTML Email?
Chaining selectors (`.foo.bar`) allows to apply styles to elements matching all the corresponding selectors.
Quick Answer
Does Chaining selectors work in HTML email?
The CSS Chaining selectors property is supported in Gmail, Outlook (Mac / Web), Apple Mail, Yahoo! Mail, and others. It is NOT supported in Outlook (Windows). Always include a safe fallback for unsupported clients.
Which Email Clients Support CSS Chaining selectors?
CSS support for Chaining selectors across email clients
| Email Client | Desktop | Mobile / Web | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | ✓ Yes | ~ Partial | — |
| Outlook (Windows) | ✗ No | ? | — |
| Outlook (Mac / Web) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — |
| Apple Mail | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — |
| Yahoo! Mail | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — |
| Samsung Email | ? | ✓ Yes | — |
| Thunderbird | ✓ Yes | ? | — |
| ProtonMail | ✗ No | ✓ Yes | — |
| Fastmail | ✓ Yes | ? | — |
Notes
- #1 Partial. Not supported with non Google accounts.
- #2 Buggy. The first `<head>` in the HTML is removed, so `<style>` elements need to be in a second `<head>` element.
- #3 Buggy. Styles will be applied to the first selector of the chain.
- #4 Buggy. Only the first selector of the chain is prefixed in the styles, but all classes are prefixed in the HTML.
- #5 Partial. Only when used as class or ID selectors
Frequently Asked Questions
Related CSS Properties
Test Your Email Now
Paste your HTML and see how it renders in clients that don't support Chaining selectors.