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Does CSS Descendant combinator Work in HTML Email?
The descendant combinator is represented by a space (` `) between two selectors and matches the second selector if it has ancestor matching the first selector.
Quick Answer
Does Descendant combinator work in HTML email?
The CSS Descendant combinator property is supported in all major email clients tested. You can use it with confidence in your HTML emails.
Which Email Clients Support CSS Descendant combinator?
CSS support for Descendant combinator across email clients
| Email Client | Desktop | Mobile / Web | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | ✓ Yes | ~ Partial | — |
| Outlook (Windows) | ✓ Yes | ? | — |
| 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 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 Descendant combinator.