A free HTML email signature that pastes properly
I wanted a signature generator that didn't ask for an email address, didn't sneak a "made with" link into my signature, and didn't lock the good templates behind a trial. So I made one. It builds old-school, table-based HTML with inline styles, which is what Gmail, Outlook (desktop, new and web), Apple Mail and phone mail apps all handle reliably. It also gives you a plain text version for places that don't take HTML.
How to use it
- Pick a template. Photo + divider is a safe default. Plain minimal has no images at all, which is handy if your company's mail server strips them.
- Fill in your details. Leave anything blank and it disappears from the signature.
- Add images by link. Paste https links for a headshot or logo. See why below.
- Click Copy signature and paste it into your mail app's signature box using the steps for your app.
- Send yourself a test email and open it on your phone too.
How to add your signature in Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail
Always use Copy signature (not the HTML source) for these. It copies formatted content, the same as copying from a web page. Menus below were checked against each app's help pages in October 2026.
Gmail signature (computer)
- Click Copy signature above.
- In Gmail, click the gear icon (top right), then See all settings.
- On the General tab, scroll to Signature and click Create new. Give it a name.
- Click in the signature box and paste (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V).
- Under Signature defaults, pick it for new emails and for replies/forwards.
- Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes.
Gmail app on a phone: the app has its own "Mobile Signature" (Settings, then Signature settings) and it's text only. Use Copy plain text for that one. Emails you send from a computer still show the full signature on phones.
New Outlook for Windows
- Click Copy signature above.
- In Outlook, click Settings (the gear icon), then Accounts > Signatures.
- If you have more than one account, choose the right one.
- Click Add signature, name it, and paste into the editing box.
- Pick it as the default for new messages and replies/forwards.
- Click Save.
Outlook on the web (Outlook.com and Microsoft 365)
- Click Copy signature above.
- Click Settings (the gear icon at the top), then Accounts > Signatures.
- Click Add signature, name it, and paste into the editing box.
- Choose your default signatures for new messages and replies/forwards.
- Click Save.
New Outlook and Outlook on the web share the same signature screen, so a signature you set up in one usually shows up in the other for the same account.
Classic Outlook for Windows
- Click Copy signature above.
- In Outlook, open a new email.
- On the Message tab, click Signature > Signatures.
- Under Select signature to edit, click New and name it.
- Paste into the Edit signature box.
- Under Choose default signature, pick the account and set it for new messages and replies/forwards.
- Click OK.
Classic Outlook ignores rounded corners, so round photos show square. Use a photo that's already cropped into a circle (transparent PNG) if that matters to you.
Apple Mail on a Mac
- Click Download .html, open the file in Safari, press Cmd+A then Cmd+C. (Copy signature from this page works too, but copying from Safari is the most reliable for Mail.)
- In Mail, choose Mail > Settings, then click Signatures.
- Select your account in the left column.
- Click the + button under the middle column and name the signature.
- Untick Always match my default message font, otherwise Mail swaps your fonts.
- Paste into the right column and close the window. Mail saves it right away.
iPhone and iPad Mail
- Open this page on your iPhone, tap Copy signature (or email yourself the signature and copy it from that email).
- Open Settings > Apps > Mail > Signature. (On iOS 17 and older it's Settings > Mail > Signature.)
- Choose All Accounts or Per Account, clear the default "Sent from my iPhone" and paste.
- If the formatting collapses, shake the phone right after pasting and tap Undo Change Attributes. That restores the layout.
- Tap back to save.
Why images need to be hosted (and why base64 doesn't work)
Your signature is a small piece of HTML. When someone opens your email, their mail app loads the photo, logo and icons from wherever they live online. That's why the image fields take a link.
Some generators embed the picture right inside the HTML as base64 data. It looks fine in the preview, then breaks: Gmail removes data images from signatures, Outlook often blocks them or turns them into attachments (hello, mystery "image001.png" on every email), and they bloat the message. Host the image on your own website or a media library you control, use https, and paste the direct image link. A quick test: open the link in a private window. If you see just the image, it'll work. If you see a Drive or Dropbox page, it won't.
The social icons in this tool are simple letter icons I made and host on GitHub Pages, so you can use them freely. They're intentionally not the official brand logos. If you want zero images, switch social links to text.
Dark mode tips for email signatures
- Expect inverted colours. Outlook, Gmail's phone apps and Apple Mail can flip dark text to light and white backgrounds to dark. Use the Dark preview above to sanity-check.
- Use transparent PNG logos with a colour that reads on both light and dark. A navy logo on a transparent background disappears on dark grey. A thin white outline or a mid-tone colour fixes that.
- Skip big background colours. Coloured blocks get recoloured unpredictably. Thin accent lines like the dividers here hold up better.
- Don't put text inside images. Real text adjusts to dark mode; text baked into a JPG doesn't.
- Pick a mid-strength accent. Very dark or very light accents lose contrast on one of the two backgrounds.
What to put in an email signature
- Name, title, company. The basics. Pronouns are a nice touch if you use them.
- One or two ways to reach you. A phone and your website is plenty. Your email address is optional since they already have it, but it helps when emails get forwarded.
- A few social profiles, only the ones you actually use for work.
- One call to action, like booking a call or a current event. One, not three.
- A disclaimer only if your industry or employer requires one. Keep it short and small.
Skip inspirational quotes, full mailing addresses (unless people visit you), and every certification you've earned.
Email signature size best practices
| Element | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Total width | Under 600 px | Most email layouts and preview panes are about 600 px wide |
| Lines of text | 4 to 7 | Shorter signatures get read; long ones get skimmed past |
| Headshot | 80 to 100 px shown, upload 2x (about 200 px) | 2x keeps it sharp on high-res screens |
| Logo | Up to 200 px wide, about 60 px tall | Big enough to read, small enough not to dominate |
| Social icons | 20 to 24 px | Tappable on phones without looking clunky |
| Image file size | Under about 50 KB each | Faster to load, less likely to be clipped or flagged |
| Font size | 12 to 14 px, name a bit larger | Readable on phones without shouting |
| Gmail signature limit | 10,000 characters (official) | Gmail refuses longer signatures; the tool shows your count |
All sizes are recommendations except the Gmail limit, which comes from Google's own help page.
FAQ
Is this email signature generator really free?
Yes. No sign-up, no watermark, no "made with" link in your signature, no trial. It runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Why does my photo or logo need to be a link?
An email signature is HTML, and the image is loaded from a URL every time someone opens your email. Images embedded as base64 data get stripped by Gmail and are blocked or turned into attachments by Outlook. Upload the image somewhere public, like your website, and paste its https link.
Why is my round photo square in Outlook?
Classic Outlook for Windows renders email with Word, which ignores CSS rounded corners. If the circle matters, crop the photo into a circle yourself and save it as a PNG with a transparent background. Then it looks round everywhere.
How do I add an HTML signature to Gmail?
Click Copy signature, then in Gmail on a computer go to Settings, See all settings, General, Signature, create a new signature, paste into the box, choose it under Signature defaults and click Save Changes at the bottom. Don't paste the HTML source code; Gmail's box only takes formatted content.
Will the signature work in the Gmail or Outlook phone apps?
Emails you send from a computer show the full HTML signature on any phone. Sending from the Gmail app uses a separate mobile signature that is plain text, so paste the plain text version there. Outlook mobile and iPhone Mail have their own signature settings too.
What is the best size for an email signature?
Keep it under 600 pixels wide and around 4 to 7 lines of text. A headshot shown at 80 to 100 pixels and a logo up to about 200 pixels wide are plenty. Gmail caps signatures at 10,000 characters, and the tool shows your count.
Can I use the social icons in my signature?
Yes. They are simple letter icons I made for this tool, hosted on GitHub Pages, so they are free to use. They are not the official platform logos. If you'd rather avoid images completely, switch social links to text.
Is my information saved or uploaded?
Nothing is uploaded. Your details are saved only in your own browser's local storage so they are there next time. The share link puts your settings in the part of the URL after the # sign, which browsers never send to the server.
Last updated October 2026.