Watch Your Extensions: How Microsoft Editor: Spelling & Grammar ruined an email
One of my clients recently came to me with what they believed was a Pardot template issue:
We keep getting these strange big blocks of text added to our emails whenever someone tries to edit them:
<div class="ms-editor-squiggler" style="color: initial; font: initial; font-feature-settings: initial; font-kerning: initial; font-optical-sizing: initial; font-variation-settings: initial; text-orientation: initial; text-rendering: initial; -webkit-font-smoothing: initial; -webkit-locale: initial; -webkit-text-orientation: initial; -webkit-writing-mode: initial; writing-mode: initial; zoom: initial; place-content: initial; place-items: initial; place-self: initial; alignment-baseline: initial; animation: initial; appearance: initial; backdrop-filter: initial; backface-visibility: initial; background: initial; background-blend-mode: initial; baseline-shift: initial; block-size: initial; border-block: initial; border: initial; border-radius: initial; border-collapse: initial; border-inline: initial; inset: initial; box-shadow: initial; box-sizing: initial; break-after: initial; break-before: initial; break-inside: initial; buffered-rendering: initial; caption-side: initial; caret-color: initial; clear: initial; clip: initial; clip-path: initial; clip-rule: initial; color-interpolation: initial; color-interpolation-filters: initial; color-rendering: initial; color-scheme: initial; columns: initial; column-fill: initial; gap: initial; column-rule: initial; column-span: initial; contain: initial; contain-intrinsic-size: initial; content: initial; content-visibility: initial; counter-increment: initial; counter-reset: initial; counter-set: initial; cursor: initial; cx: initial; cy: initial; d: initial; display: block; dominant-baseline: initial; empty-cells: initial; fill: initial; fill-opacity: initial; fill-rule: initial; filter: initial; flex: initial; flex-flow: initial; float: initial; flood-color: initial; flood-opacity: initial; grid: initial; grid-area: initial; height: initial; hyphens: initial; image-orientation: initial; image-rendering: initial; inline-size: initial; inset-block: initial; inset-inline: initial; isolation: initial; letter-spacing: initial; lighting-color: initial; line-break: initial; list-style: initial; margin-block: initial; margin: initial; margin-inline: initial; marker: initial; mask: initial; mask-type: initial; max-block-size: initial; max-height: initial; max-inline-size: initial; max-width: initial; min-block-size: initial; min-height: initial; min-inline-size: initial; min-width: initial; mix-blend-mode: initial; object-fit: initial; object-position: initial; offset: initial; opacity: initial; order: initial; origin-trial-test-property: initial; orphans: initial; outline: initial; outline-offset: initial; overflow-anchor: initial; overflow-wrap: initial; overflow: initial; overscroll-behavior-block: initial; overscroll-behavior-inline: initial; overscroll-behavior: initial; padding-block: initial; padding: initial; padding-inline: initial; page: initial; page-orientation: initial; paint-order: initial; perspective: initial; perspective-origin: initial; pointer-events: initial; position: initial; quotes: initial; r: initial; resize: initial; ruby-position: initial; rx: initial; ry: initial; scroll-behavior: initial; scroll-margin-block: initial; scroll-margin: initial; scroll-margin-inline: initial; scroll-padding-block: initial; scroll-padding: initial; scroll-padding-inline: initial; scroll-snap-align: initial; scroll-snap-stop: initial; scroll-snap-type: initial; shape-image-threshold: initial; shape-margin: initial; shape-outside: initial; shape-rendering: initial; size: initial; speak: initial; stop-color: initial; stop-opacity: initial; stroke: initial; stroke-dasharray: initial; stroke-dashoffset: initial; stroke-linecap: initial; stroke-linejoin: initial; stroke-miterlimit: initial; stroke-opacity: initial; stroke-width: initial; tab-size: initial; table-layout: initial; text-align: initial; text-align-last: initial; text-anchor: initial; text-combine-upright: initial; text-decoration: initial; text-decoration-skip-ink: initial; text-indent: initial; text-overflow: initial; text-shadow: initial; text-size-adjust: initial; text-transform: initial; text-underline-offset: initial; text-underline-position: initial; touch-action: initial; transform: initial; transform-box: initial; transform-origin: initial; transform-style: initial; transition: initial; user-select: initial; vector-effect: initial; vertical-align: initial; visibility: initial; -webkit-app-region: initial; border-spacing: initial; -webkit-border-image: initial; -webkit-box-align: initial; -webkit-box-decoration-break: initial; -webkit-box-direction: initial; -webkit-box-flex: initial; -webkit-box-ordinal-group: initial; -webkit-box-orient: initial; -webkit-box-pack: initial; -webkit-box-reflect: initial; -webkit-highlight: initial; -webkit-hyphenate-character: initial; -webkit-line-break: initial; -webkit-line-clamp: initial; -webkit-mask-box-image: initial; -webkit-mask: initial; -webkit-mask-composite: initial; -webkit-perspective-origin-x: initial; -webkit-perspective-origin-y: initial; -webkit-print-color-adjust: initial; -webkit-rtl-ordering: initial; -webkit-ruby-position: initial; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: initial; -webkit-text-combine: initial; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: initial; -webkit-text-emphasis: initial; -webkit-text-emphasis-position: initial; -webkit-text-fill-color: initial; -webkit-text-security: initial; -webkit-text-stroke: initial; -webkit-transform-origin-x: initial; -webkit-transform-origin-y: initial; -webkit-transform-origin-z: initial; -webkit-user-drag: initial; -webkit-user-modify: initial; white-space: initial; widows: initial; width: initial; will-change: initial; word-break: initial; word-spacing: initial; x: initial; y: initial; z-index: initial;"> </div>
Investigating the Issue
Replication: We opened up the email templates on our own computers and tried to create the block of code, without any luck.
Observance: A screen share showed us that it was possible and happening each time. We also were able to narrow down the activity required to add the block of code, which was just opening the email editor.
Search for Help: Forums and Stackoverflow had no similar queries, so we had no one to help us.
Sampling: Ask others to try to replicate the issue and see what happened.
Sampling was where we had our breakthrough. Another user on Windows 10 with Chrome did not have the same issue, meaning that it was specific to the user who reported the issue (and their teammates).
After troubleshooting, it became apparent this was the culprit: a Chrome extension called Microsoft Editor: Spelling & Grammar.
As soon as our partner showed us a screenshot of their extensions with this listed, it was obvious. The code snippet was too similar to what would happen if you copy/paste directly from Word into a WYSIWYG system, so having it come from a Microsoft-owned extension made perfect sense.
Be Careful of Extensions with Text Editing Capabilities
We recommended they switch to Grammarly, as we have not had the same issue while using Grammarly, but someday there could be an update that results in the same problem. It is important to know what extensions you are using and how they can impact your on-site experience.
Code Reference
<div class="ms-editor-squiggler" style="color: initial; font: initial; font-feature-settings: initial; font-kerning: initial; font-optical-sizing: initial; font-variation-settings: initial; text-orientation: initial; text-rendering: initial; -webkit-font-smoothing: initial; -webkit-locale: initial; -webkit-text-orientation: initial; -webkit-writing-mode: initial; writing-mode: initial; zoom: initial; place-content: initial; place-items: initial; place-self: initial; alignment-baseline: initial; animation: initial; appearance: initial; backdrop-filter: initial; backface-visibility: initial; background: initial; background-blend-mode: initial; baseline-shift: initial; block-size: initial; border-block: initial; border: initial; border-radius: initial; border-collapse: initial; border-inline: initial; inset: initial; box-shadow: initial; box-sizing: initial; break-after: initial; break-before: initial; break-inside: initial; buffered-rendering: initial; caption-side: initial; caret-color: initial; clear: initial; clip: initial; clip-path: initial; clip-rule: initial; color-interpolation: initial; color-interpolation-filters: initial; color-rendering: initial; color-scheme: initial; columns: initial; column-fill: initial; gap: initial; column-rule: initial; column-span: initial; contain: initial; contain-intrinsic-size: initial; content: initial; content-visibility: initial; counter-increment: initial; counter-reset: initial; counter-set: initial; cursor: initial; cx: initial; cy: initial; d: initial; display: block; dominant-baseline: initial; empty-cells: initial; fill: initial; fill-opacity: initial; fill-rule: initial; filter: initial; flex: initial; flex-flow: initial; float: initial; flood-color: initial; flood-opacity: initial; grid: initial; grid-area: initial; height: initial; hyphens: initial; image-orientation: initial; image-rendering: initial; inline-size: initial; inset-block: initial; inset-inline: initial; isolation: initial; letter-spacing: initial; lighting-color: initial; line-break: initial; list-style: initial; margin-block: initial; margin: initial; margin-inline: initial; marker: initial; mask: initial; mask-type: initial; max-block-size: initial; max-height: initial; max-inline-size: initial; max-width: initial; min-block-size: initial; min-height: initial; min-inline-size: initial; min-width: initial; mix-blend-mode: initial; object-fit: initial; object-position: initial; offset: initial; opacity: initial; order: initial; origin-trial-test-property: initial; orphans: initial; outline: initial; outline-offset: initial; overflow-anchor: initial; overflow-wrap: initial; overflow: initial; overscroll-behavior-block: initial; overscroll-behavior-inline: initial; overscroll-behavior: initial; padding-block: initial; padding: initial; padding-inline: initial; page: initial; page-orientation: initial; paint-order: initial; perspective: initial; perspective-origin: initial; pointer-events: initial; position: initial; quotes: initial; r: initial; resize: initial; ruby-position: initial; rx: initial; ry: initial; scroll-behavior: initial; scroll-margin-block: initial; scroll-margin: initial; scroll-margin-inline: initial; scroll-padding-block: initial; scroll-padding: initial; scroll-padding-inline: initial; scroll-snap-align: initial; scroll-snap-stop: initial; scroll-snap-type: initial; shape-image-threshold: initial; shape-margin: initial; shape-outside: initial; shape-rendering: initial; size: initial; speak: initial; stop-color: initial; stop-opacity: initial; stroke: initial; stroke-dasharray: initial; stroke-dashoffset: initial; stroke-linecap: initial; stroke-linejoin: initial; stroke-miterlimit: initial; stroke-opacity: initial; stroke-width: initial; tab-size: initial; table-layout: initial; text-align: initial; text-align-last: initial; text-anchor: initial; text-combine-upright: initial; text-decoration: initial; text-decoration-skip-ink: initial; text-indent: initial; text-overflow: initial; text-shadow: initial; text-size-adjust: initial; text-transform: initial; text-underline-offset: initial; text-underline-position: initial; touch-action: initial; transform: initial; transform-box: initial; transform-origin: initial; transform-style: initial; transition: initial; user-select: initial; vector-effect: initial; vertical-align: initial; visibility: initial; -webkit-app-region: initial; border-spacing: initial; -webkit-border-image: initial; -webkit-box-align: initial; -webkit-box-decoration-break: initial; -webkit-box-direction: initial; -webkit-box-flex: initial; -webkit-box-ordinal-group: initial; -webkit-box-orient: initial; -webkit-box-pack: initial; -webkit-box-reflect: initial; -webkit-highlight: initial; -webkit-hyphenate-character: initial; -webkit-line-break: initial; -webkit-line-clamp: initial; -webkit-mask-box-image: initial; -webkit-mask: initial; -webkit-mask-composite: initial; -webkit-perspective-origin-x: initial; -webkit-perspective-origin-y: initial; -webkit-print-color-adjust: initial; -webkit-rtl-ordering: initial; -webkit-ruby-position: initial; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: initial; -webkit-text-combine: initial; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: initial; -webkit-text-emphasis: initial; -webkit-text-emphasis-position: initial; -webkit-text-fill-color: initial; -webkit-text-security: initial; -webkit-text-stroke: initial; -webkit-transform-origin-x: initial; -webkit-transform-origin-y: initial; -webkit-transform-origin-z: initial; -webkit-user-drag: initial; -webkit-user-modify: initial; white-space: initial; widows: initial; width: initial; will-change: initial; word-break: initial; word-spacing: initial; x: initial; y: initial; z-index: initial;"> </div>
