Lightning Email Templates
Lightning Email Templates are the modern Salesforce email template system that replaces the legacy Classic Email Templates with a Lightning-native authoring experience, richer formatting capabilities, and improved sharing model.
Definition
Lightning Email Templates are the modern Salesforce email template system that replaces the legacy Classic Email Templates with a Lightning-native authoring experience, richer formatting capabilities, and improved sharing model. Users build templates in a WYSIWYG editor with drag-and-drop layout components, merge field insertion through a guided picker, and HTML output that renders consistently across modern email clients. Templates are stored as EmailTemplate records with a Type of "custom" and surface through the Lightning email composer, List Email tool, and Send Email actions in Flow.
The Lightning system coexists with Classic email templates rather than replacing them. Classic templates remain functional for organizations with legacy investments, but new template work should go in Lightning. The two systems use different underlying storage and editing tools, but both produce EmailTemplate records that the platform sends through the standard email infrastructure. Most modern orgs have a mix: legacy Classic templates for established workflows, Lightning templates for new template development.
How Lightning Email Templates work
Lightning versus Classic templates
Classic templates are HTML or text-based templates built through the Classic UI. They use older merge field syntax and produce email that may render inconsistently in modern email clients. Lightning templates use a Lightning-native editor with drag-and-drop layout, modern HTML output, and improved merge field picker. The Lightning experience is significantly better for non-technical users; Classic remains for compatibility.
Sharing and folders
Lightning Email Templates use Enhanced Folder Sharing (the modern folder system) rather than the classic folder model. Templates can be shared with users, groups, or roles at Viewer, Editor, or Manager levels. The sharing model is closer to Reports and Dashboards than to the legacy Documents folders, which makes Lightning templates easier to manage at scale.
Merge fields and dynamic content
The merge field picker lets authors insert fields from the recipient record (Contact, Lead) and any related records. Lightning templates support conditional content blocks: show this paragraph if the recipient is a Customer, that paragraph if they are a Lead. Conditional blocks are configured visually rather than through formula syntax.
Embedded images and the IsPublic challenge
Images embedded in Lightning email templates work differently from Classic. Lightning typically uses Salesforce Files (ContentDocument) for image storage, with the platform generating a public URL for the send. The classic IsPublic-on-Document approach also works. Test image rendering thoroughly because external mail clients have varying support for embedded versus linked images.
Sending channels
Lightning templates render in: the Email Composer (one-to-one sends), List Email (mass sends up to 5,000), Send Email actions in Flow, Apex Messaging.SingleEmailMessage with template Id, and Email Alerts. Each channel has its own configuration; not every channel surfaces every template feature equally. Test in the target channel before declaring a template ready.
Translation and localization
Lightning templates can be marked as locale-specific. For multi-language sends, create per-locale variants and configure the routing logic. The merge field picker accepts the recipient's Locale to determine date and currency formatting within the template.
Deployment and packaging
Lightning Email Templates deploy through changesets and SFDX. The template body, merge field references, and folder assignments all migrate together. Plan deployment with template content reviewed alongside the technical metadata; the body is what users see and matters most.
Create a Lightning Email Template
Building a Lightning Email Template is a creative task with technical setup around merge fields, sharing, and deployment. The steps below cover the standard workflow.
- Plan the template
Decide content, target audience, and which merge fields are needed. Identify any conditional content blocks.
- Create the template
Email Templates tab > New Email Template. Choose Lightning. Pick a Letterhead or layout starting point.
- Add merge fields
Use the merge field picker to insert fields from the recipient record. Test the merge result with a preview before saving.
- Configure conditional blocks
For audience-specific content, add conditional blocks. Set the conditions through the visual editor rather than formula syntax.
- Embed images
Upload images to Salesforce Files. Insert via the image button. Test rendering in Gmail, Outlook, and a mobile client.
- Save and share
Save the template. Set folder and sharing permissions. Templates without sharing are invisible to other users.
- Test send
Send a test email to an internal address. Confirm the merge fields populate, conditions work, and images render.
Modern editor. Default for new template development.
Legacy editor. Available for compatibility.
Starting design layout for the template.
Audience-specific content within one template.
Separate template for each supported language.
- Lightning and Classic templates use different editors and storage. Migrating between them is manual; there is no one-click conversion.
- Merge field changes after deployment break sends silently. Validate merge fields against the target object every release.
- Image rendering varies by mail client. Test in multiple clients before declaring the template ready.
- Sharing is per folder. Templates without folder sharing are invisible to other users.
- Conditional blocks evaluate against the merged record. Test conditions with edge-case records to confirm correct branching.
Trust & references
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Lightning Email Templates.
About the Author
Dipojjal Chakrabarti is a B2C Solution Architect with 29 Salesforce certifications and over 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem. He runs salesforcedictionary.com to help admins, developers, architects, and cert/interview candidates sharpen their fundamentals. More about Dipojjal.
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