Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Options on the Compose page of the post flow

Notice: This article is currently being updated to reflect recent releases. Some steps, options, and/or screenshots shown here may not match what you see in-app. Functionality and behavior may continue to evolve as improvements are rolled out.

Notice: This article covers the Visual Editor, beehiiv's post editing experience. Starting August 3, 2026, all newly created beehiiv workspaces launch directly into the Visual Editor by default. Workspace admins can also switch an existing workspace over to the new experience. Still using the legacy post editor? See Using the legacy post editor for the Write and Style tab navigation instead.

After selecting a newsletter template, the Post Builder opens on the Compose page, where you draft your content and style it in the same place.

The Post Builder is organized into 5 tabs (Compose, Audience, Email, Web, Review) at the top of the page. Use Next to move through them in order, or click any tab to jump directly to a stage.

This article covers the Compose page: drafting your content and using the post editor. For styling, click any element directly to open its options in the right-hand panel. Read our guide, Customizing your post's design, for a detailed breakdown.

Icons across the top of the canvas

Word Count: The post's active word count.
Search and replace: Find and replace text in your post.
Undo/Redo: Reverse or redo the last action.
Commenting: Add comments for your team.
Backlink Setup: Create backlinks for the post.
Save as template: Save your current post as a reusable template.
Sliders icon (More options): Version history, Knowledge base, Change editor experience (only shown to users who created accounts before August 3, 2026), Provide feedback, and Help.

Your profile initials appear at the top right, along with any collaborators currently editing.

Drafting your content

Click into the header area (where the title and cover image sit) to bring up a toolbar with Title & subtitle, Authors, Web thumbnail, and Content tags.

Adding a title and subtitle

These serve as your email's subject line and preview text by default.

To hide either from the email specifically, click the Visibility eye icon next to each option. An open eye indicates that the option will be shown in your email, while a closed eye indicates that the option will be hidden in your email.

Here in the header, you can also update your byline (and use the same visibility eye icon to show or hide your byline). For more information on customizing your byline, read Post byline customization options.

Assigning authors

When you create a new post, your name appears automatically as the author. Click the Authors dropdown to Manage authors, Manage guest authors, or Manage authors page (the dynamic author page included with your beehiiv website).

For more information on newsletter authors, read How to add and manage authors for your newsletters.

Adding a thumbnail

Use the Web thumbnail dropdown to adjust the thumbnail that appears on the Web version of your post.

Tech Note: This thumbnail is only visible on the website version of your post, and will not appear in the email version.

Use the Show email in web visibility toggle to toggle this option on and off. By default, this thumbnail will be set to your publication logo, but you can update it to your preferred thumbnail for each post you publish by selecting between Upload from computer, Upload from media library, or Upload from URL. Read Adding thumbnails, images, and GIFs to your posts for more information.

Adding content tags

Click on the Content Tags dropdown and select from existing tags or create new ones. For more information about content tags and how to use them to organize your content, read How to create, assign, or remove content tags for posts.

Pro Tip: Content tags are optional, but they're a great tool for organizing posts by format or topic.

Click in the text area where it says Click here to start writing, or type / on your canvas to open the slash menu:

Text & formatting

Heading 1–6: Structure your post's outline.
Blockquote: A large, centered pull-quote with a quotation mark icon above the text. Best for making a standout passage the visual focus of the post.
Side quote: A quote framed with a vertical accent line along the left edge, paired with an author byline and button below.
Centered quote: A quote set in a soft shaded box, with an author byline and button below.
Bulleted List / Numbered List: Standard list formatting.

Page structure

Columns: Arrange content side by side.
Content break: A visual divider between sections.
Table of contents: Auto-generate a linked outline of your post's headings.
Footnotes: Add an inline marker linked to a note at the bottom of your post.

Tech Note: Grouping your content happens outside of the Slash menu. Highlight multiple blocks to group them together with shared borders and spacing. See Adding borders and managing sections in your posts for the full walkthrough.

Interactive

Button: A clickable call-to-action linking to any URL.
Poll: Let readers vote directly within the post. For more information, read How to use beehiiv polls.

Media

Image: Insert a photo or graphic.
File: Attach a downloadable file.
Code block: Display a formatted code snippet.

Data

Table: Insert a structured grid of rows and columns.
Merge tags: Insert dynamic, personalized text, like a subscriber's first name.
Cash tags: Reference a stock or crypto ticker, pulled via the native Stocktwits integration.

Conversions

Ad Network: Placements from the Ad Network.
Direct Sponsorships: A specific sponsorship placement sold directly to an advertiser, distinct from programmatic Ad Network fills. Read more about direct sponsorships in Creating and using direct sponsorship proposals.
Products: Promote a digital product you sell (files, appointments, webinars).
Recommendations: Promote other publications to your readers.
Referral program: Add a CTA so subscribers can earn rewards for referring others through your custom referral program.

Embeds

Embed link: Paste a URL to generate an embedded preview.
Podcast episode: Embed an episode from one of your beehiiv podcast shows.
Audio: Add a playable audio file inline.
HTML snippet: Insert custom HTML.
RSS: Pull in and display an external feed.
TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, Stocktwits, Bluesky: Native embeds for posts from each platform.

AI features

AI writer: AI-powered writing help right where you need it: directly in the editor.

Pro Tip: Access more AI features by opening beehiv Agent, beehiiv’s native AI assistant. To access, press ⌘J (Mac) or Ctrl+J (Windows) to open a handy modal you can use while composing as a part of your existing workflows.

Feedback

Share feedback: Submit product feedback directly to beehiiv on the Visual Editor experience.

Shortcuts in the post editor

Toolbar shortcuts

Shortcut	Command
Bold	Command/Control + B
Italicize	Command/Control + I
Underline	Command/Control + U
Strikethrough	Command/Control + Shift + X
Highlight	Command/Control + Shift + H
Superscript	Command/Control + .
Subscript	Command/Control + ,
Markdown	Type * for italics or ** for bold
Align Right	Command/Control + Shift + R
Align Center	Command/Control + Shift + E
Align Left	Command/Control + Shift + L
Align Justify	Command/Control + Shift + J

Text visualization shortcuts

Shortcut	Command
Blockquote	Command/Control + Shift + B
Codeblock	Cmd/Ctrl + Opt/Alt + C, then select the code type (doesn't transform the code)
Heading	Command/Control + Opt/Alt + [number]
Numbered List	Command/Control + Shift + 7
Bullet List	Command/Control + Shift + 8

General shortcuts

Shortcut	Command
Open menu	Type /
Adding Emojis	Type : followed by the emoji name
Search and replace	Command/Control + F
Undo	Command/Control + Z
Redo	Command/Control + Shift + Z
Copy	Command/Control + C
Paste	Command/Control + V
Paste without formatting	Command/Control + Shift + V

Shortcuts native to beehiiv

Shortcut	Command
Select Parent	Cmd/Ctrl + A once for the node, twice for the section, three times for the whole post
Insert footnote with marker	Type ^^
Insert marker for existing footnote	Type ^[footnote number]
Insert content break	Type - + - + -
Insert line break	Shift + Enter or Command/Control + Enter
Insert backlinks	Type [ + [

Command palette and beehiiv Agent

Two additional tools are available anywhere in beehiiv, including while you're on the Compose page.

Command palette

Press ⌘K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux), or click the search bar at the top of the page, to search, navigate, or run commands without leaving your current screen. From Compose, this is a fast way to jump to another post, switch publications, or search the knowledge base without losing your place. See Using the beehiiv command palette for the full list of shortcuts.

beehiiv Agent

beehiiv's built-in AI assistant, for help with strategy, metrics, and content ideas grounded in your actual publication data. Press ⌘J (Mac) or Ctrl+J (Windows) to open it as a modal over whatever you're working on, or click Ask beehiiv in the left side navigation for the full-page experience. See Using beehiiv Agent for what it can help with.

Reminder: beehiiv Agent is separate from the AI writer tool described above: AI writer rewrites, translates, and edits the specific text you've selected in your post, while beehiiv Agent is a publication-wide assistant for strategy and performance questions, not tied to any one piece of text.

Using the text editor

Highlighting text on the canvas brings up an inline toolbar with:

Text: A dropdown to turn the selected text into Heading 1–6, Blockquote, Side quote, Centered quote, Bullet list, Number list, Code block, or Button.
Bold, Italics, Underline, Strikethrough: Standard text emphasis.
Code: Inline code formatting.
Link: Turn selected text into a hyperlink, with a toggle for whether it opens in a new tab.
Footnote dropdown: Superscript, Subscript, or Footnote options.
Text Alignment: Left, center, right, or justify.
Text/Highlight color dropdown: Highlight color, Text color, or Reset all.
Font dropdown: Font family, font weight, exact text size, and preset sizes (Default, Small, Medium, Large, X-Large, Huge), with its owl Reset all button.
Comments: Inline notes visible only to your team.
AI Writing Tools: Improve writing, Translate, Fix spelling & grammar, or Complete sentence. Usage show as a running counter in the dropdown.