Send a test email and preview
Mailix provides two ways to review a Campaign before sending:
- Preview opens the content on the screen without sending an email.
- Send test email sends a test copy to an address you enter so you can review it in an actual email application.
These actions do not replace the Confirm step and do not launch the Campaign automatically.
Open Preview and Send test email
In a Campaign that has content, open:
Campaigns → Email → open the Campaign → Confirm
Select Preview or Send test email in the action area of the Confirm step.
You may also find these access points:
- A preview button in the Template step.
- Email preview or Preview on the Campaign overview page.
- Send test email in the actions menu on the Campaign list.
The buttons appear only when permitted by the Account's permissions. Preview accepts view-only permission; Send test email requires full permission for the Campaign.
Preview the Campaign
- Select Preview.
- Wait for the preview window to load the saved content.
- For an HTML Campaign, switch between HTML and Plain Text if needed.
- Select the desktop, tablet, or phone icon to change the simulated size.
- Close the preview window to return to the Campaign.
A Plain Text Campaign displays only its text. If the Campaign has no content, Mailix displays a state indicating there is no content to preview.
Device modes help you check the layout at different widths. This is a simulation in Mailix; the final display may still differ between email applications.
Where does the preview content come from?
Preview uses saved Campaign data, including:
- The subject displayed at the top of the preview window.
- HTML or Plain Text content.
- Preheader text saved in the HTML content.
- Images, links, and Merge Tags already present in the content.
Note: Save changes in the Email Builder, custom HTML, Plain Text, and preheader sections before previewing. Unsaved content is not guaranteed to appear.
A regular preview does not select a real Subscriber. Therefore, Merge Tags are displayed with general context or sample links rather than a Subscriber's final personalized data.
On the Campaign overview page, Preview as a Subscriber lets you find and select a Subscriber from the Recipient set to view the content with that person's data. This feature is for viewing only and does not send an email.
Send a test email
- Select Send test email.
- Check the Send to email address field. Mailix pre-fills the email address of the Account currently signed in.
- Enter a valid email address.
- Select Send test.
- Read the success or error message in the window.
The form accepts only one address per send. The test recipient address does not need to be in the List or belong to a Campaign Subscriber.
Mailix checks that the field is not empty and uses a valid email format. The form does not provide multiple addresses, an address book, or test-recipient history.
Merge Tags in a test email
A test email goes through the personalized-content generation process, but it does not use a real Subscriber record. Mailix creates sample data to process Merge Tags.
This means:
- The test recipient address is the address you enter.
- Some Merge Tags may display a sample name, email address, or value that does not match the test recipient address.
- Custom Field Merge Tags do not reflect the data of a specific Subscriber.
- System links use sample values instead of acting on a real Subscriber.
To review personalization with a Subscriber's saved data, use Preview as a Subscriber on the Campaign overview page.
Subject, preheader, and sender in a test email
A test email uses:
- The Campaign subject without automatically adding a test prefix.
- The saved preheader for HTML content.
- The Campaign's From name, From email, and Reply-to email.
- The sending method's default From email if the Campaign is configured to use that value.
Because a test email uses the saved configuration, save the Setup and Template steps before sending the test.
Sending method for a test email
Mailix requires the Account to have an active plan and at least one available sending method. The test email is sent with one method from the Account's group of available sending methods.
If the Campaign has its own sending-method selection, the current test-send workflow does not guarantee use of that exact narrowed selection. Therefore, a test email verifies the content and test-sending capability, but it is not proof that the actual Campaign will use the same specific method.
Tracking in a test email
A test email applies the Campaign's Opens and Clicks Tracking settings to the content being sent:
- If Opens Tracking is enabled, the test email contains an Opens Tracking component.
- If Clicks Tracking is enabled, links in the test email are processed according to that setting.
However, Mailix does not record the test email as a send to a Campaign Subscriber. Opens or Clicks from the test email are not included in the Campaign's sending Reports.
Unsubscribe links in a test email
A test email uses a sample Subscriber. Unsubscribe links and other system links in the test email are sample links and are not associated with a real Subscriber.
Therefore, using the Unsubscribe link in a test email does not change a Subscriber's status in the List. You should still check that the link is present and displayed correctly instead of using the test email to test the entire Unsubscribe workflow.
Does a test email count against the sending limit?
Yes. Each test email sent successfully uses one email from the current plan's sending limit.
Mailix deducts it only after the sending method successfully accepts the test email. If the plan has unlimited sends, the action is still allowed without reducing a finite balance.
If the Account has no active plan or has exhausted its sending allowance, Mailix rejects the test send and displays an error.
Does a successful test mean it reached the inbox?
No. A success message confirms that Mailix passed the test email to the sending method without receiving an error at that time. Whether the email appears in the inbox still depends on delivery and the receiving email application.
If you do not see the email:
- Check the address you entered.
- If Mailix displays an error, resolve it before sending again.
Mailix does not provide a separate interface history for reviewing test sends or test recipient addresses.
When you cannot send a test email
Verified cases include:
- The address is empty or has an invalid format: enter a valid email address again.
- There is no active plan: check the Account's plan status.
- The sending limit is exhausted: upgrade the plan or add sends if supported by the Account.
- No sending method is available: check the Account configuration or contact the administrator.
- The sender or content is missing: complete and save the Setup and Template steps.
- You do not have permission: full permission for the Campaign is required to send a test.
- The sending method rejects the request: read the on-screen message, check the configuration, then try again.
Some errors from the sending method may be displayed directly and may not yet be fully standardized as user-friendly messages. Do not treat an interface success message as confirmation that the email was delivered to the inbox.
Is a test send required before the actual send?
No. Mailix does not require a test send before allowing you to launch the Campaign.
A test send is an optional review action. After sending a test, the Confirm page does not mark an additional condition as complete, and the checklist does not need to be refreshed solely because you sent a test.
How do previews in the Template and Confirm steps differ?
- A preview in the Template step helps you review the content being designed after it has been saved.
- A preview in the Confirm step uses the same saved Campaign content and places this action alongside the final checks before launch.
- The overview page can also preview content with data from a specific Subscriber.
Content preview windows do not send email or change the Campaign status.
Frequently asked questions
Does Preview send a real email?
No. Preview only loads the saved content into an on-screen window.
Can I send a test email to an address that is not in the List?
Yes. You can enter any valid email address. The form does not require that address to belong to a Subscriber.
Does a test email use Merge Tags?
Yes, but it uses sample data. Values in the test email may differ from Subscriber data in the actual send.
Does a test send count against the sending limit?
Yes. A successful test send uses one email send.
Does a test send affect Reports?
No. A test email is not recorded as a send to a Campaign Subscriber, so test Opens and Clicks are not added to the Campaign Reports.
Do I need to save the content before sending a test?
Yes. Both test sends and previews use the Campaign's saved subject, sender, and content.
Can I send a test for a scheduled or already sent Campaign?
Yes, if the Campaign still belongs to the Account and you have full permission. The test-send workflow is not restricted by Campaign status. The test email uses the content currently saved.
Is a test send required before Launch Campaign?
No. It is an optional review step.