Email Button Not Clickable: Why and How to Fix It
Six symptoms and one code that works in every client
Mailvex · 31 August 2026 · 4 min read
The button looks like a button, but only the label is clickable, and Outlook strips its background and rounded corners. The cause is that email clients read padding and background differently, and classic Outlook uses a word processor engine entirely. The fix is building the button on a table and adding separate code for Outlook.
Why buttons break specifically in email
On a website a button takes one line: a link gets a background, padding and rounded corners. In email that approach works only in some clients.
Classic Outlook for Windows ignores padding on a link and does not understand rounded corners. The result: a coloured rectangle where only the text is clickable, with no margin around it.
The problem is not cosmetic. Someone aims at the button, hits the padding, nothing happens — and they close the email assuming the link is broken.
Six symptoms and their causes
Six symptoms cover almost every case. Find yours and read the cause.
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Only the text is clickable | padding set on the cell rather than the link | move the padding onto the link itself |
| No background in Outlook | background set on a block Outlook ignores | background on the table cell plus VML code |
| Rounded corners disappeared | Outlook does not support them | VML code with the radius, ordinary code for the rest |
| Button stretched full width | the link was made block-level without a limit | set the width on the table, not the link |
| The link does not open | a relative address or a typo | full https address, test the click |
| Button shifted on mobile | fixed width wider than the screen | percentage width, 48 pixel minimum height |
The first row occurs more often than all the others combined.
Ready code for a reliable button
A reliable button is built from two parts: VML code for Outlook and an ordinary table for everything else. Each client sees only its own part.
The key points. The conditional comment at the start shows the block only to Outlook, the second comment only to other clients. Padding sits on the link itself rather than the cell, so the whole area is clickable.
The background is duplicated: as an attribute on the cell and in the styles. Some clients read one, some the other.
Button size on mobile
Button size on mobile is a separate topic where mistakes cluster.
The minimum button height for a thumb is 44 pixels, better 48. Below that, hitting it becomes a matter of luck, especially on the move.
On a narrow screen set the width as a percentage rather than in pixels. A 320-pixel button on a 320-pixel screen hits the edges and spills outside the email.
What to check before sending
- open the email on a phone and tap the edge of the button, not the centre
- check in Outlook: is the background and radius there
- click the link and confirm it opens
- view in dark mode: has the button text merged with the background
- confirm the address is complete and starts with https
The first point matters most: tapping the edge is what reveals whether the whole button is clickable or only the label.
How a builder handles this
In Mailvex the button is a ready block, and the compiler adds the VML code for Outlook, duplicates the background and sets a minimum height for mobile.
Radius, colour and size are configured once in the brand kit and applied to every button across every email.
Build an email with buttons that work everywhere.
Browse templatesFrequently asked questions
Why is only the text clickable?
Padding is set on the table cell rather than the link itself. The link occupies only the label area, and the padding is outside it. The fix is moving padding onto the link and making it block-level.
Why does Outlook need separate code?
Classic Outlook for Windows uses a word processor engine rather than a browser one. It does not understand rounded corners, ignores padding on a link and shows no background on blocks. VML is the only way to get a proper button there.
What is the minimum button size on mobile?
A height of 44 pixels, better 48. That is the minimum for a confident thumb tap. On a narrow screen set the width as a percentage rather than in pixels, or the button spills outside the email.
