> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.instantcampaign.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AI Design Assistant

> Describe an email in a sentence and get a designed, editable template in your brand, then refine it by chatting before you open it in the builder.

The Design Assistant turns a short description into a finished email design: layout, colors, typography, copy and images. You then refine it in a chat, and open it in the email builder when you're happy. Everything it produces is made of ordinary builder blocks, so you can edit every part afterwards.

Open it from the sidebar under **Email** → **Design Assistant**, or from **Templates** with **Describe the email you need →**.

## Create a design

<Steps>
  <Step title="Pick a creative direction, or describe the email">
    The start screen offers six directions: **Bold Sale**, **Editorial Newsletter**, **Event Invitation**, **Luxury Launch**, **Modern SaaS** and **Warm Welcome**. Click one to start from it, or type your own description in **Describe your email template...** (up to 2,000 characters). Press **Shift+Enter** for a new line.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Optional: set design controls">
    Open **Design controls** to steer the result before you send the first message:

    * **Campaign type**: for example **Sale**, **Welcome**, **Newsletter**, **Product launch** or **Win-back**
    * **Visual direction**: for example **Minimal**, **Editorial**, **Luxury**, **Playful** or **Dark tech**
    * **Density**: **Minimal**, **Balanced** or **Rich**
    * **Imagery**: **Low**, **Medium** or **High**
    * **Offer or main action**: such as "20% off everything until Sunday"

    Anything left on **Let the assistant choose** is decided for you.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for the design">
    You'll see the stages as they run: **Planning layout**, **Writing content**, **Creating imagery** and **Checking email compatibility**. The finished design appears in the preview on the right. Use **Desktop** and **Mobile** to check both widths.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The assistant uses your workspace brand (colors, fonts, logo and voice) from the **Brand** page. Set up your brand first for the best results.

## Refine it

Reply in the chat to change the design, for example "make the hero darker", "shorten the intro" or "swap the product grid for a single featured product". Each reply lists the sections it changed as chips under the message. Sections you didn't mention stay exactly as they were.

To try a completely different layout for the same brief, click **Create another direction** in the preview. You don't have to retype anything.

Some rules always apply: the design keeps a footer with an unsubscribe link, and it always has at least one call to action.

<Note>
  If you see **Started from a preset layout — describe what to change.**, the assistant fell back to one of its preset layouts with placeholder copy. Describe what you want and it will rewrite it.
</Note>

## Save it as a template

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Use This Template">
    Click **Use This Template** in the toolbar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name it">
    Enter a **Template Name** and pick a **Category**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open it">
    Click **Save & Open in Editor**. The template is added to **My Templates** and opens in the [email builder](/guides/email-and-templates/email-builder).
  </Step>
</Steps>

Designed sections, such as offer cards, stat rows and footers, are Rich Text blocks. Edit their words in the **Content** tab of the Inspect panel. See [Designed rich-text blocks](/guides/email-and-templates/blocks-and-layout#designed-rich-text-blocks).

Click **Start Over** to clear the conversation and begin a new design.

## Remix a library template

On the **Library** tab of **Templates**, click **Remix with AI** on a card. The template loads into the preview, and the chat is pre-filled with a request to keep its layout while rewriting the copy in your brand voice and matching your colors. Send it as it is, or edit the request first.

## What the designs are made of

* Layouts use columns that stack on phones and inline-styled tables, which work across email apps, including Outlook and the Gmail app.
* Text and background color pairs are checked for readable contrast.
* Images are generated for the final design only.

## Limits

* Each message uses one of your plan's monthly **AI text generations**. When they run out, you're asked to upgrade.
* You need a role that can edit content to use the Design Assistant.
* If you signed up with an email and password, verify your email address first. Until you do, the Design Assistant refuses requests.

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The design doesn't use my brand colors">
    Check that your brand colors are set on the **Brand** page. You can also apply them later in the builder with **AI Tools** → **Apply Brand Colors**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use This Template fails">
    If you've reached your plan's template limit, you're asked to upgrade. Otherwise the error message explains what went wrong. Try again after fixing it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A refinement changed a section I didn't mention">
    Name the section you want changed, as specifically as you can ("the second product row", "the footer"). The assistant only changes the sections a reply targets.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>