---
title: "Robust email layout tables"
description: "Use a simple presentation-table scaffold where client support requires it, without leaking table semantics into the reading experience."
canonical: https://specification.email/spec/rendering/table-layout/
category: rendering
status: recommended
sources:
  - title: "Tables in HTML email"
    url: "https://www.caniemail.com/features/html-table/"
    publisher: "Can I Email"
---

# Robust email layout tables

> Use a simple presentation-table scaffold where client support requires it, without leaking table semantics into the reading experience.

## What it is

Many email clients still render complex layouts most consistently when structure is expressed with nested HTML tables.

## Why it matters

Modern layout CSS is not uniformly supported, especially in desktop clients using document-rendering engines.

## How to implement

Keep nesting shallow, set presentation roles, include explicit cell padding and widths where necessary, and preserve a logical source order. Use modern CSS progressively when its loss does not break meaning.

## Common mistakes

- Omitting `role="presentation"` from layout tables.
- Creating a visual order that differs from DOM order.
- Depending on background images for essential content.

## Verification

Test the delivered message in representative webmail, mobile, and desktop clients with images on and off, then inspect the accessibility tree.