How to Upload an Email Template in Postmark

In this guide, you’ll learn how to upload a Postcards email template to Postmark and prepare it correctly using merge tags.

We’ll walk through how to add the required unsubscribe link and a simple personalization example directly inside Postcards, so your template is ready before export.

Prerequisites

A Designmodo Postcards account
A Postmark account
A Postcards email template ready to edit

Step 1. Prepare your Postcards template (add required merge tags)

Before exporting your template, you’ll need to add the necessary Postmark merge tags directly inside Postcards. Merge tags are placeholders (for example, {{ name }} or {{ unsubscribe_url }} ) that you add to your email inside Postcards. These placeholders are not processed in Postcards, instead, Postmark replaces them with real values (like a recipient’s name or a unique unsubscribe link) when the email is sent.

This is the template I will be working on:

a) Add the unsubscribe link (required)

The unsubscribe link is mandatory for broadcast emails. You can either insert the tag {{{ pm:unsubscribe }}} directly as a Text element, or as a link. To insert it as a link:

Select the text or button, then click the link icon to open the link settings.

In the URL field, paste: {{{ pm:unsubscribe }}} and click the tick icon to apply it.

b) Add a name variable (example personalization)

You can also personalize your email using variables like the recipient’s name.

Click into a Text element (for example, a heading or intro text)
Add your text like this:

Hi {{ name }},

This is a simple example of a custom variable. When the email is sent through Postmark, this value will be replaced with each recipient’s name.

Step 2. Export your template and remove `<link>` tags

Postmark does not allow external stylesheet references in templates. If your exported file includes <link> tags (commonly used for fonts or stylesheets), Postmark will reject the HTML.

To fix this, you’ll need to export your template and remove those tags.

Export your template from Postcards

In the editor, click Export (top right) and select Download as ZIP

Make sure Host images online is enabled and Download the ZIP file

Open the HTML file

Extract the ZIP file to a folder
Locate the index.html file

Open it using any text editor (e.g., Notepad, VS Code, Sublime)

Remove `<link>` tags

Press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (Mac)
Search for:

<link

Delete any <link ...> tags you find, including the entire tag and all its contents.

These are typically used for external fonts (like Google Fonts) or stylesheets, which Postmark does not support.

Important note

Removing these tags may affect custom fonts used in your design. If that happens, email clients will fall back to default system fonts (such as Arial or Helvetica), which is expected behavior.

Once removed, save the file, your HTML is now ready to be uploaded into Postmark.

Step 3. Import your template in Postmark

Now that our HTML file is ready, you can upload it to Postmark and create a reusable template.

Once you’re in your Postmark dashboard, go to the Servers tab at the top and select the server you want to work with.

Next, go to the Templates tab and click Add template to create a new template.

Choose Code your own

On the next screen, select Don’t use a layout, then click Continue

Once you’re in the editor, switch to the HTML tab at the top (double-check that you’re on the Edit tab).

Open your index.html file, copy the full HTML, and paste it into the editor, replacing any existing content.

Then, if you press the “Preview” tab, you should see your Postcards template.

To edit the name variable, click Edit test variables in the top-right corner of the editor.

This will open a panel where you can define and update the variables used in your template.

When the email is sent through Postmark, this value will be automatically replaced when you send an email using this template.

Once everything looks good, click Save, your template is now ready to use.

You can also send yourself a test email by clicking Send test in the top-right corner, just above Edit test variables, to make sure everything renders correctly. This is my Test:

What we covered

How to prepare a Postcards template with Postmark merge tags
How to add a required unsubscribe link and personalization variables inside Postcards
How to export your template and clean the HTML for Postmark compatibility
How to create a custom template in Postmark and paste your HTML code
How to test variables and send a preview email to verify everything works correctly