Declining Gmail Open Rates 2026

Question

I’ve noticed a decline in Gmail open rates throughout 2026, does anyone have any advise as to why this is or how to improve it? We currently follow best practices for segmentation, with engagement tracks and excluding apple MPP opens.

ArpitBanjara · Accepted Answer

hey ​@ChloeAre you sending from your own domain yet, called a branded sending domain? If not, Klaviyo tells everyone to set one up instead of using Klaviyo’s shared one. And have your Gmail clicks dropped too, or just opens?If clicks dropped too, more of your emails might be going to spam. Gmail doesn’t pass complaints to Klaviyo, so Klaviyo points you to Google Postmaster Tools to see how often Gmail users mark you as spam. Keep that under 0.1% and never let it hit 0.3%, which are Google’s own limits. Are you already sending less to people who haven’t opened or clicked in a while? If you’re near those limits, I’d cut back on them even more, since sending to them too often hurts how much inboxes trust you.CheersArpit.

GabbyEsposito · Answer

​@Chloeadding some industry context to Arpit’s great answer. You’re definitely not alone: many senders have seen Gmail open rates fall in 2026, and a big part of it is measurement, not behavior. Gmail appears to have cut back on image prefetching starting around late November 2025, so fewer opens get recorded even when people are still reading.A quick way to tell which situation you’re in: compare opens to clicks and revenue for your Gmail addresses specifically. If clicks held steady, it’s likely a tracking change. If clicks dropped too, focus on Arpit’s reputation and spam-rate steps, since Gmail inbox placement has also tightened this year.A few other things worth trying:Use clicks or site activity, not just opens, when defining “engaged” for Gmail, so you don’t suppress people who are still reading.Put your key message and CTA right at the top. Gmail’s AI summaries pull from the first lines of the email.Make offers require a click rather than showing the code upfront, since Gmail now previews deals and codes in the Promotions tab.

Sign up

Use your Klaviyo credentials

Log in to the Community

Use your Klaviyo credentials