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Emailens
CSS Properties

z-index

CSS property · 16 supported, 0 partial, 5 unsupported across 21 clients

16 of 21 email clients render z-index fully (Sep 2, 2026 data); it breaks outright in Gmail, Gmail Android, Gmail iOS and 2 more.

  • 6/7 webmail, 4/6 desktop, 6/8 mobile clients support z-index fully.
  • Unsupported in Gmail, Gmail Android, Gmail iOS, Outlook (New) and 1 more.
  • Outlook Classic (Word engine, supported to at least 2029) does not fully support z-index, and its replacement changes little here; see the deprecation diff.
  • Across all clients, only 6 of 298 tracked HTML/CSS features render identically everywhere.

Source: caniemail.com (MIT), via the Emailens engine. Last tested upstream May 16, 2021, synced by Emailens Sep 2, 2026.

Client Support

ClientCategoryEngineSupport
GmailwebmailGmail WebUnsupported
Gmail AndroidmobileGmail MobileUnsupported
Gmail iOSmobileGmail MobileUnsupported
Outlook 365webmailOutlook WebSupported
Outlook (New)desktopOutlook WebUnsupported
Outlook ClassicdesktopMicrosoft WordUnsupported
Outlook iOSmobileOutlook MobileSupported
Outlook AndroidmobileOutlook MobileSupported
Outlook for MacdesktopWebKitSupported
Apple MaildesktopWebKitSupported
Apple Mail iOSmobileWebKitSupported
Yahoo MailwebmailYahooSupported
Yahoo Mail AndroidmobileYahooSupported
Yahoo Mail iOSmobileYahooSupported
Samsung MailmobileSamsungSupported
ThunderbirddesktopGeckoSupported
HEY MailwebmailWebKitSupported
Proton MailwebmailProtonSupported
AOL MailwebmailAOLSupported
FastmailwebmailFastmailSupported
SuperhumandesktopBlinkSupported

Client-by-client behaviour for z-index

Fully supports z-index (16): Outlook 365, Outlook iOS, Outlook Android, Outlook for Mac, Apple Mail, Apple Mail iOS, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Mail Android, Yahoo Mail iOS, Samsung Mail, Thunderbird, HEY Mail, Proton Mail, AOL Mail, Fastmail, Superhuman.

No support (5): Gmail, Gmail Android, Gmail iOS, Outlook (New), Outlook Classic. Plan fallbacks for these clients before relying on z-index in production sends.

Fixes & Workarounds

Gmail

Unsupported

"z-index" is not supported in this email client.

Gmail Android

Unsupported

"z-index" is not supported in this email client.

Gmail iOS

Unsupported

"z-index" is not supported in this email client.

Outlook (New)

Unsupported

"z-index" is not supported in this email client.

Outlook Classic

Unsupported

"z-index" is not supported in this email client.

Related Features

Check your own HTML for z-index

Paste your own, or run the sample below. Analyzed in this page, with no signup and nothing stored.

Zero-Friction Engine Preview

Test your z-index layout across 21 email clients

Preview rendering, catch CSS issues, and see how z-index displays across Outlook, Gmail, and Apple Mail. Free, no account needed.

Instant live preview · No signup required · 21 email engines

Last tested upstream: · Last synced by Emailens:

caniemail.com (MIT) records May 16, 2021 as the last time z-index was tested in a real client, 5 years before this sync. Syncing copies that result forward, it does not re-test it. Carried in @emailens/engine data v0.12.2.