How to Preview and Test Email Campaigns in Sparkforge

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Use Preview to see how a campaign or template renders across devices, then send a Test Email to your inbox to verify merge fields, layout, and links before going live.

Preview and Test let you verify a Sparkforge email before it reaches real contacts. Preview shows desktop, tablet, and mobile renders inside the builder. Send Test delivers a sample to any inbox you choose so you can confirm subject lines, merge fields, and links work as intended.

Why preview and test before sending

Accuracy: confirm merge fields, custom values, and conditional content render correctly.
Compliance: verify required elements like the unsubscribe block are present.
Quality control: catch broken images, layout shifts, and dead links — especially with imported HTML.
Speed: iterate without burning through your live list or skewing analytics.

Preview and test an email campaign

Go to Marketing > Emails > Campaigns.
Click a campaign to open it.
Click Preview in the top right and switch between Desktop, Tablet, and Mobile views.
Click the three dots beside Preview and choose Test Email.
Pick the Sender Email, add Sender Name, choose a Receiver Email, and fill in Preview Text and Subject.
Click Send Test Email.

Preview and test an email template

The flow is identical for templates. Note that the unsubscribe link does not function in test sends — it only fires on live campaigns.

Go to Marketing > Emails > Templates.
Open a template, click Preview, and check each device view.
Click the three dots, choose Test Email, fill in sender and recipient details, and send.

What test sends do not do

Tests skip the unsubscribe action and do not affect campaign analytics. Opens and clicks on test emails are not counted toward live performance metrics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't the unsubscribe link work in my test email?

Unsubscribe is intentionally disabled in tests so you can't accidentally remove yourself from your own list. It works normally on live sends.

Do test opens and clicks affect my analytics?

No. Test sends are for validation only. Performance metrics only populate from live campaign sends.

My test didn't arrive — what should I check?

Check Spam and Junk first, verify your sending configuration, confirm the recipient isn't on a suppression list, and try a different inbox.

Do custom unsubscribe links work in tests?

They render but won't complete an unsubscribe in a test send. They function normally on live campaigns.