When you click the copy button in the Embellish editor, you'll see a dropdown with format options. Each format produces slightly different HTML output to match the editor you're pasting into. Here's what each one does and when to use it.
The three format types
Under the hood, every format option falls into one of three categories:
WYSIWYG formats (visual editors)
These include options like "Design Editor," "Email Designer," "Standard Editor," and "Rich Text."
What they produce: HTML with visual spacing preserved. Empty paragraphs between content blocks are kept as <p></p> tags, which maintains the same spacing you see in the Embellish editor.
When to use: When you're pasting into a visual, drag-and-drop, or WYSIWYG email editor — the kind where you see formatted text, not raw code.
Examples:
HighLevel → Design Editor
ActiveCampaign → Email Designer
Kit → Standard Editor
Mailchimp → Standard Editor
Standard → Rich Text
Code formats (HTML editors)
These include options like "Code Editor," "HTML Builder," and "HTML Code."
What they produce: Leaner HTML where empty paragraphs are converted to <br> tags. This prevents double-spacing that can happen when a code-view editor applies its own paragraph margins on top of Embellish's spacing.
When to use: When you're pasting into a raw HTML editor, a code view, or an "HTML block" within a visual editor.
Examples:
HighLevel → Code Editor
ActiveCampaign → HTML Builder
Kit → HTML Code
Mailchimp → HTML Code
Standard → HTML Code
Plain text
What it produces: Just the words — no HTML, no formatting, no merge field syntax. Paragraphs are separated by blank lines, and list items get bullet characters.
When to use:
When you need the raw text for a plain-text version of your email
When pasting into a tool that doesn't accept HTML
When you want to quickly grab the copy for use somewhere else (a document, a social post, etc.)
Plain text is always available at the bottom of the format dropdown, regardless of which platform you've selected.
How Embellish handles spacing
One of the most common copy-paste problems is inconsistent spacing — either too much white space or none at all. Embellish handles this carefully:
Between paragraphs with content: A visual spacer is added (or not) based on the format, matching what the target editor expects.
Intentional empty lines you typed: These are preserved exactly as you wrote them. If you pressed Enter twice for extra breathing room, that spacing stays.
Between headings and text: Handled by the HTML structure naturally — no extra spacers added where they'd create awkward gaps.
The goal is simple: what you see in Embellish is what you get in your email platform.
Choosing the right format
If you're not sure which format to use, here's a quick decision guide:
Are you pasting into a visual editor? → Use the WYSIWYG format for your platform
Are you pasting into a code/HTML view? → Use the Code format for your platform
Are you pasting into something else entirely? → Use Plain Text
If the formatting looks off after pasting, try switching to the other format option for your platform (e.g., swap from Design Editor to Code Editor). The two formats exist precisely because different editors within the same platform behave differently.
Copying selected text
You don't have to copy the entire email. If you select a portion of text, the floating toolbar appears with its own copy button. Click it to copy just the selected content in your current format.
This is handy when you're updating part of an existing email in your platform — paste just the section you changed, not the whole thing.