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Gmail Signature Troubleshooting

Having trouble with your Gmail signature? Here are solutions to common issues.

Signature Not Showing Up

Symptoms: Your signature doesn't appear when composing new emails.

Solutions:

  • Make sure you've saved the signature in Gmail settings (Settings → See all settings → General → Signature)
  • Check that you've selected "Insert signature before quoted text in replies" if needed
  • Verify you've selected the correct signature from the dropdown menu at the bottom of your compose window
  • Clear your browser cache and reload Gmail
  • Try using Gmail in an incognito/private browsing window to rule out extension conflicts

Images Not Displaying

Symptoms: Your logo or profile photo appears as a broken image icon.

Solutions:

  • Image Too Large: Gmail has a 10KB per-image limit. Compress your images before uploading.
  • Base64 Encoding Issue: Gmail supports base64 encoded images, but they must be under the size limit.
  • External Links Blocked: If using external image URLs, ensure they're publicly accessible and use HTTPS.
  • Recipients Can't See Images: Recipients with "Display images" disabled won't see your images. Include important text outside of images.
  • Try uploading a smaller, optimized version of your logo (recommended: 100x100px or smaller)

Formatting Gets Messed Up

Symptoms: Colors, fonts, or layout look different than expected.

Solutions:

  • Gmail Strips Styles: Gmail removes some CSS styles for security. Use inline styles only.
  • Font Changes: Gmail may override custom fonts. Stick to web-safe fonts (Arial, Times New Roman, etc.)
  • Color Issues: Use hex colors (#000000) instead of named colors (black)
  • Spacing Problems: Use table-based layouts instead of divs for better compatibility
  • Test your signature by sending yourself a test email first
  • Keep designs simple - complex layouts often break in email clients

Links Not Clickable

Symptoms: Social media icons or website links don't work when clicked.

Solutions:

  • Ensure all links include the protocol (https:// or mailto:)
  • Check that email addresses use mailto: protocol (mailto:email@example.com)
  • Verify phone numbers use tel: protocol (tel:+1234567890)
  • Make sure you're not accidentally wrapping links in plain text
  • Test links by sending yourself an email and clicking each one

Signature Appears in Weird Places

Symptoms: Signature shows up in the middle of email threads or in replies.

Solutions:

  • In Gmail settings, choose "Insert signature before quoted text in replies"
  • This ensures your signature appears above the previous email thread
  • For new emails, signature will always appear at the bottom of your message
  • If using multiple signatures, make sure you've selected the right one for each email type

Mobile Gmail App Issues

Symptoms: Signature looks fine on desktop but broken on mobile app.

Solutions:

  • Edit Mobile Signature Separately: Gmail mobile has its own signature settings. Go to Settings → Your account → Mobile signature
  • Simplified Design: Use a simpler signature for mobile (less formatting, smaller images)
  • Test on Mobile: Always test by sending yourself an email and checking it on your phone
  • Image Scaling: Mobile screens are smaller - ensure images aren't too large (max 300px wide recommended)

Still Having Issues?

If you're still experiencing problems, try these general troubleshooting steps:

  • Disable browser extensions temporarily to rule out conflicts
  • Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
  • Clear your browser cache and cookies
  • Check Gmail's status page to ensure there are no service disruptions
  • Create a simpler version of your signature to identify what's causing issues

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