Dark mode changes backgrounds to a dark color and flips text to a light color to make reading easier on the eyes. Dark mode is a favorite for many users because it’s easier on the eyes and saves battery life. However, because different email clients (like Outlook and Gmail) handle dark mode in their own way, an email signature that looks perfect on a white background might look a bit different in dark mode. With a few simple tweaks to your WiseStamp signature, you can make sure your signature is seamless in every inbox, no matter the display settings.
How Dark Mode Works
When a recipient has dark mode turned on, their email client will do one of three things:
Leave it alone: The signature stays exactly as you designed it.
Partial flip: It turns light backgrounds dark and dark text light.
Full flip: It inverts almost every color in the signature to high-contrast darks and lights.
Since we can't control which email client your recipient uses, the best strategy is to design a "flexible" signature that looks great in both settings.
Pro-Tips for Your Images & Logos
1. Use Transparent PNGs
Always upload your logo as a transparent PNG. If you use a JPEG with a solid white background, it will appear as a bright "white box" in dark mode. Transparency allows your logo to blend seamlessly into any background color.
2. The "Glow" Trick
If your logo has black text, it might "disappear" when the background turns dark. To fix this:
Add a thin white outline (stroke) or a soft white glow around your logo before uploading it to WiseStamp.
Why it works: On a white background, the glow is invisible. On a dark background, it creates a subtle border that keeps your logo legible.
3. Check Your Social Icons
Stick with standard, high-contrast social icons. If you use custom icons that are very dark, they may be hard to see.
Design Best Practices
Keep it simple: A clean design with standard text colors usually survives the "flip" to dark mode much better than complex layouts with lots of background colors.
Contrast is key: Avoid using "middle" colors like medium gray or pastels. These can sometimes look "muddy" when an email client tries to invert them. Bold, saturated colors tend to stay truer to your brand.
Skip the background colors: We recommend keeping your signature background transparent. If you apply a specific background color in the editor, some email clients may ignore it or change it to a color you didn't intend.
Testing Your Signature in Dark Mode
Use the Signature Editor
The quickest way to check your signature is right inside our New Signature Editor:
In the New Signature Editor, click Preview in the top right corner.
Click the Dark Mode icon (the moon/sun toggle) in the top middle of the screen.
This gives you an instant look at how your signature adapts to dark backgrounds.
Test it in Your Emails
Switch your computer or mobile device settings to Dark Mode.
Send a test email to yourself using your WiseStamp signature.
Open the email on different apps (like the Gmail app vs. the Outlook app) to see how the email client handles your signature.