Email

How to send email with OneSignal.

Follow these steps to send emails from your OneSignal dashboard. Ensure you have completed the Email Setup process before proceeding.

For first-time users, we recommend using Email Auto Warm-Up and reviewing Email Deliverability best practices.

You can send Email with OneSignal using several options:

  • OneSignal Dashboard: Demonstrated in this guide.
  • Create message API Send email, push, and SMS via our server-side API.
  • Journeys: Create emails, in-app messages, push notifications and SMS with a no-code visual builder.
  • Integrations (e.g., HubSpot)

Requirements

Before sending emails, ensure you have:


Send email from the OneSignal dashboard

Navigate to Messages > Email > New Email

How to send email from the OneSignal dashboard.

How to send email from the OneSignal dashboard.

Dashboard-only features:


Select your target audience

You can target users via:

Targeting MethodAvailable in DashboardAvailable via API
Segments✅ Yes✅ Yes
Filters (see Create message for details)❌ No✅ Yes
Aliases (see Create message for details)❌ No✅ Yes

Segments

Select Segments to target or exclude specific users:

  • Send to default segment: Uses your default segment; defaults to all "Subscribed Users" if none set.
  • Send to specific segments: Include and exclude segments explicitly.

Multiple segments have an "OR" relationship; duplicate subscription are automatically removed.

Sending from the dashboard uses Segments.

Sending from the dashboard uses Segments.


Sender

Set your sender name, email & reply-to email address. Multi-domain sending available. Manage Senders in Settings > Email > Sender.

API fields:

  • email_from_address
  • email_sender_domain
  • email_reply_to_address
The email in which I am sending from. Multi-domain sending available.

The email in which I am sending from. Multi-domain sending available.


Create your message

  • Optional: Provide internal Message Name
    • API parameter: name
  • Choose composition method:

Subject and preheader text

Set your Subject (required) and preheader text (optional). Not all inboxes display the Preheader text.

Advanced settings

Common advanced features.

Track link clicks

Link tracking is enabled by default. Tracking email link clicks requires changing the URL structure to capture the event, then redirect the user back to the original URL you set. This happens almost instantly but may cause unexpected behavior with deep links depending on how you setup the link. See Deep Linking for more details.

Send to unsubscribed users

You can enable Include sending to unsubscribed users for compliance emails or non-marketing emails. This means any unsubscribed email Subscriptions that fit the segments will be sent the email.

Options available when creating your message. These are the same on both Drag-and-Drop or HTML editors.

Options available when creating your message. These are the same on both Drag-and-Drop or HTML editors.


Delivery schedule

  • Send Now or schedule up to 30 days in advance.
    • API parameter: send_after
  • First-time senders should use Email Auto Warm-Up.

Per-user optimization

  • Send to everyone at the same time: Best for urgent messages.
  • Intelligent Delivery: Optimizes send times based on user activity patterns.
    • API parameter: delayed_option: last-active
  • Custom Time per User Timezone: Sends at a set time in each user's timezone (fallback available).
    • API parameter: delayed_option: timezone & delivery_time_of_day
Example shows the email will start sending Jan 22nd at 10AM your time, and will be delivered to each user at 10AM in their timezones with a fallback time to UTC-8 (Pacific Time) f the email address doesn't have a timezone set.

Example shows the email will start sending Jan 22nd at 10AM your time, and will be delivered to each user at 10AM in their timezones with a fallback time to UTC-8 (Pacific Time) f the email address doesn't have a timezone set.


Finalize your email

  • The "start sending" time is the cutoff point for users to enter/exit the audience segments. Anyone in the audience at this time will be sent the message and it does not depend on the "per user optimization" options.
  • Click Review & Send or Save as Draft to edit later.

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You're ready to send your first email!

You are all set to start sending emails! Next steps include: