Your YouTube Links Now Show Up Properly in Customers' Inboxes

YouTube links you paste into an email now arrive as a clickable thumbnail that opens the video, instead of the blank rectangle some recipients used to see. The preview is built differently before it is sent, so it renders in Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo and the other major inboxes. Nothing changes in how you add a video, so paste the link the way you always have.

Why were my video previews showing as a blank box?

Major email providers block the embedded video player at their end, so a preview that looked correct while you were composing arrived empty for the customer. The preview is now sent as a clickable image rather than an embedded player, which those providers allow through. What you see while writing is what your customer receives.

What does my customer see now?

Your customer sees the video thumbnail with a play button, and clicking it opens the video in a new tab. The thumbnail is part of the email itself, so it displays without the recipient needing to load anything extra.

Which YouTube links does this work with?

Both the standard watch link and the shortened share link work. Copy either one from YouTube and paste it into your email.

You will find this in the Conversations inbox, in the email composer.

This update was originally released in June 2026. Menu locations may have changed since.