Managing background images in emails can be quite difficult due to various factors. The compatibility of email clients with CSS background images is restricted, and this includes a limited capacity for managing how the background image is displayed, particularly with CSS3 properties. Below is an inventory of email clients and their levels of support for CSS backgrounds.
| Category | Client | Support |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop | AOL Desktop | ✔️ |
| Apple Mail 10 | ✔️ | |
| IBM Notes 9 | ❌ | |
| Outlook 2000–03 | ✔️ | |
| Outlook 2007–16 | ❌ | |
| Outlook Express | ❌ | |
| Outlook for Mac | ✔️ | |
| Postbox | ✔️ | |
| Thunderbird | ✔️ | |
| Windows 10 Mail | ❌ | |
| Windows Live Mail | ❌ | |
| Mobile | Android 4.2.2 Mail | ❌ |
| Android 4.4.4 Mail | ✔️ | |
| AOL Alto Android app | ✔️ | |
| AOL Alto iOS app | ✔️ | |
| BlackBerry | ✔️ | |
| Gmail Android app | ✔️ | |
| Gmail Android app IMAP | ❌ | |
| Gmail iOS app | ✔️ | |
| Gmail mobile webmail | ✔️ | |
| iOS 10 Mail | ✔️ | |
| iOS 11 Mail | ✔️ | |
| Outlook Android app | ✔️ | |
| Outlook iOS app | ✔️ | |
| Windows Phone 8 Mail | ❌ | |
| Yahoo! Mail Android app | ❌ | |
| Yahoo! Mail iOS app | ✔️ | |
| Webmail | AOL Mail | ✔️ |
| G Suite | ✔️ | |
| Gmail | ✔️ | |
| Outlook.com | ✔️ | |
| Yahoo! Mail | ✔️ |