There could be several reasons why your Gmail signature isn’t showing up. Here’s a breakdown of all possible causes along with ways to fix them.
1. Incorrect Signature settings
The first and foremost cause of the Gmail email signature not showing up is incorrect signature settings. Sometimes, users may forget to turn on the signature feature, or they may not have saved the changes properly.
How to check the Signature settings:
Open Gmail and click on the Gear icon on the top right corner of your screen.
Select “See all settings” from the drop-down menu.
Scroll down to the “Signature” section.
Make sure the signature feature is turned on and the correct signature is selected.
2. Gmail composer is set to “No signature”
If your Gmail composer is set to “No Signature," you won't see your signature in your emails.
You can change it by following these steps:
Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner to go to “Settings.”
2. In the dropdown menu, click on “See all settings.”
3. On the “Settings” page, click on the “General” tab.
4. Scroll down to the “Signature” section. If it’s set to “No Signature," select the option “My signature.”
3. You didn’t add a default signature
If you did not mark at least one signature as the default for your Gmail account, then your emails will not display a signature.
How to set your Gmail signature as the default:
1. In the top right corner of Gmail, click the gear icon and select “See all settings.”
2. In the General tab, scroll down to the Signature section and click “Create New.”
3. Paste (Ctrl+V) your signature into the text box.
4. Optional Editing: Use the tT icon to change font size or the A icon to adjust text colors to match your brand. Stick to email-safe fonts like Sans Serif to ensure consistency.
5. Set Defaults: Under Signature defaults, select your signature for both New Messages and Reply/Forward use.
4. Browser or App issues
If your browser is not updated, or if there’s an issue with cookies and cache, it can interfere with Gmail’s functionality, including showing signatures.
To fix browser-related issues that might be causing your Gmail signature not to show:
Update Browser: Ensure your browser is up-to-date. Usually, you can check this in the browser’s settings or help menu. If an update is available, install it and restart your browser.
Clear Cache and Cookies: Go to your browser’s settings, find the option to clear browsing data (usually under “Privacy and security” or similar), make sure to check the boxes for cookies and cache, and then clear the data. Remember that this might log you out of most websites.
Disable Extensions: If you have any browser extensions installed, they might be interfering with Gmail. Try disabling them one by one to see if this solves the problem. You can usually manage extensions in your browser’s settings.
Try Another Browser: If none of the above steps work, try accessing Gmail in a different browser to see if the problem persists.
Remember to restart your browser or even your computer after each step to make sure changes take effect.
5. Gmail’s composer is set to plain text
If your Gmail is set to “Plain Text Mode," it will not support rich text features or images in your signature. Here’s how you can switch off “Plain Text Mode”
How to fix:
Log into your Gmail account and click on “Compose” to start a new email.
In the lower-right corner of the “New Message” window, click on the three dots (More options).
If “Plain text mode” is checked, click on it to uncheck and disable this mode.
6. Incorrect Gmail signature format
If the signature has been formatted incorrectly, for instance, using unsupported HTML, it might not show up in the emails.
To correct issues related to signature formatting in Gmail, follow these steps:
Log into your Gmail account and go to “Settings” by clicking the gear icon in the upper-right corner.
Click on “See all settings”, then go to the “General” tab.
Scroll down to the “Signature” section. Click on the signature that’s causing the problem to edit it.
Re-insert Images: Click the Insert Image (mountain icon) to link your logo; never drag-and-drop or paste images directly as they will break.
Use Web-Safe Fonts: Highlight your text and select Verdana, Tahoma, or Georgia from the font menu to ensure compatibility across all devices
Use Basic HTML Only: Stick to the toolbar buttons for Bold, Italics, and Links to avoid Gmail stripping out complex or unsupported code.
Clear Hidden Formatting: If the layout is messy, highlight the signature and click the Remove Formatting (Tx icon) to strip out "junk" code from previous pastes.
Save Changes: You must scroll to the very bottom of the page and click Save Changes or your updates will not be applied.
Remember that the appearance of your signature can vary depending on the email client used by the recipient, so it’s best to keep it simple and universally compatible.
More troubleshooting suggestions for Gmail signatures not showing
The above-mentioned steps should be sufficient for solving 85% to 90% of Gmail signatures not showing up issues. If after completing the above steps your Gmail signature is still not visible you can try the following:
1. Conflicts with extensions or Add-Ons
Certain browser extensions or add-ons can interfere with Gmail and cause the signature not to appear.
To disable your browser extensions:
Open your browser and click on the three-dot icon on the top right corner of your screen.
Select “More tools” from the drop-down menu.
Click on “Extensions.”
Disable all extensions by toggling the switch off
2. Use incognito mode
Gmail Signature still not visible? Try using your browser in incognito mode.
To use your browser in incognito mode:
For Google Chrome: Click the three dots in the top right corner of the browser. From the dropdown menu, select “New Incognito Window”. Alternatively, you can use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+N (or Command+Shift+N on a Mac).
For Mozilla Firefox: Click the three lines in the top right corner of the browser. From the dropdown menu, select “New Private Window”. Alternatively, you can use the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+P (or Command+Shift+P on a Mac).
For Safari: Click “File” in the top left corner of the browser, then select “New Private Window”. Alternatively, you can use the shortcut Command+Shift+N.
Once in incognito or private mode, navigate to the Gmail website and log in to your account to check if your signature is now visible. This mode ensures that no extensions are active and no cookies or cache data are affecting your session, which could help if these were causing issues with your Gmail signature.
3. Check for Gmail app updates
If you are using the Gmail app, make sure that it is up to date.
To check for app updates:
Open the Google Play Store or Apple App Store on your mobile device.
Search for “Gmail” in the search bar.
If an update is available, click on “Update.”
4. Contact Gmail support
And finally, If none of the above steps solve the issue, you may need to contact Gmail support for further assistance.
To contact Gmail support, follow these steps:
Open Gmail and click on the Gear icon on the top right corner of your screen.
Select “Help” from the drop-down menu.
Click on “Contact Us” and follow the instructions provided.
FAQs
How do I check if my Gmail signature is turned on?
Go to the Gmail settings by clicking the gear icon in the upper right corner and then select “See all settings”. Under the “General” tab, scroll down to find the “Signature” section. Make sure your signature is selected and not the “No signature” option.
Why can’t I see my Gmail signature while composing an email?
Ensure that you’ve chosen the correct signature if you’ve created multiple signatures. Also, note that the signature appears at the bottom of the email thread. It won’t show up while you’re composing a new email or reply, but it will be there when you send it.
Why is my Gmail signature not showing up in replies or forwards?
By default, Gmail includes your signature at the bottom of any email thread. If you’re replying to or forwarding a message, the signature will appear at the very end of the conversation, which might not be immediately visible. However, you can manually add your signature at a desired position in the reply or forward.
Why is my signature cut off on Gmail?
If your signature is cut off, it could be because it’s too long. Gmail supports signatures up to 10,000 characters. If your signature exceeds this limit, you may need to shorten it
Why is my Gmail signature not showing up on my mobile device?
Gmail allows different signatures for the web version and the mobile app. If your signature isn’t appearing on your mobile device, it could be because you haven’t set a mobile signature. To do this, open Gmail on your mobile device, go to settings, select the account, and then find the “Mobile Signature” option.
Why is my Gmail signature not showing on all devices?
If your signature is not showing up across all devices, you might have not set a universal signature. Make sure you set your signature on each device you use for Gmail.
Does Gmail allow adding HTML signatures on mobile apps?
No, when using the Gmail app on an Android or an iPhone, you cannot insert a signature in HTML as the apps only support plain text signatures.
How do I enable HTML formatting in Gmail?
To enable HTML formatting in Gmail, click the “Compose” button to create a new email. Click the three dots at the bottom in the compose window and uncheck “Plain text mode.”
How do I solve the Gmail HTML signature showing as plain text?
This is a minor issue that mainly occurs when you have selected “Plain text mode” in the email composer. To fix this and insert an HTML signature in Gmail, open a new message window and click the three dots at the bottom. Uncheck “Plain text mode.” Now open a new message to find your Gmail HTML signature as it should.
How do I add an image to my HTML email signature in Gmail?
Gmail’s email signature settings only allow images available through a URL.
Start by uploading your image to Google Drive or a hosting service like Dropbox, Imgur, or your website. Next, go to Gmail email signature settings and click the “Insert image” icon. In the pop-up window, paste your image’s URL in the space provided and then “Insert image.” You can resize the image using the three available size options (small, medium, and large). Once you’re satisfied with the image, scroll down and click “Save changes.”
Why is my Gmail signature HTML not working?
If you have followed our guide on how to add an HTML signature to Gmail but it’s not showing, make sure:
i) Your Gmail HTML signature is selected under “Signature defaults”
ii) You’ve selected your HTML signature in Gmail, not “No signature,” to appear in new emails and replies/forwards