Adding a HTML signature to Apple Mail might not be the most straightforward process. In this tutorial you’ll learn how to add a custom signature with formatted text, images and links in just 5 steps.

Why use a HTML signature?

A beautifully customized email signature helps your messages to stand out and can be a smart means of marketing your company. HTML signatures are a perfect opportunity to brand your emails and strengthen your brand. Creating a cohesive image that is displayed through all your marketing channels, including your emails, shows that your business is professional and well established.

Your email signature is your digital business card! It helps people to connect with you and share your contact details with others. Given these benefits, it’s worth to spend a few minutes to add a beautiful HTML signature to you Apple Mail!

Step 01: Create your HTML signature

To create your customized email signature, you need a HTML file containing your data. There are several ways to create a HTML file for your signature:

Use a HTML signature generator service

HTML signature generators are a good choice if you don’t know how to code your own HTML. On the web, there are several free and paid generators, offering a variety of templates and design options. Paid services usually provide additional features like stats, administration panels to manage multiple signatures for your company or advanced templates.

Free or partially free HTML signature generators:
https://www.wisestamp.com
https://www.mail-signatures.com/signature-generator/
https://www.hubspot.com/email-signature-generator
https://si.gnatu.re

Paid HTML generators:
https://mysignature.io
https://htmlsig.com
https://newoldstamp.com

Code your own HTML:

If you know a little HTML, you can code your own HTML signature. However, be aware that email clients only know limited CSS, so write your HTML the „old school way“ using only inline CSS and test the design of your signature thoroughly in different email clients.

Pro tip: Adding images to your signature can be a pain. Therefore, we recommend to convert your images to base64 and add the base64 code as source to your image tag.

Hire a webdesigner:

If you’re already working with a webdesigner or a webdesign agency, they can surly design and create a HTML signature for you. Ask them to provide you with a HTML or TXT file that contains only your signature between the opening and closingtag. The file should not contain anyortags.

After you’ve got a HTML signature file, you can add the formatted HTML signature to Apple Mail.

Step 02: Create a placeholder signature in Apple Mail

Open Apple Mail and go to Mail > Settings.

2. In the settings, click on the „Signatures“ tab to see a list of all your signatures. Click the + button at the bottom of the list to add a new signature.

3. Add a placeholder text to your signature. Don’t worry about the content, the text will be overridden by your HTML signature.

4. Now drag and drop the signature to one or multiple of your email accounts.

5. For Apple Mail to automatically add your signature to all emails, click on your email account in the left column and select your signature at „Choose Signature“.

6. Close the mail settings and quit Apple Mail.

Step 03: Install your email signature

1. To install your HTML email signature, open the finder and choose Go > Go to Folder in the menu bar.

2. In the window, write ~/Library/Mail and click the „Go“ button.

Tipp: To add the ~ sign, press the option key + n on your keyboard.

3. The finder prompts you to a new window. Click on the V8 folder (or highest folder number starting with V) and choose MailData > Signatures.

There is no V8 folder? Choose the highes folder starting with „V“. In case you see folders with a higher number than V8, choose the folder with the highest number instead.

4. In the Signatures folder, you see a list of signature files. Search for the file you just edited by examining the „Modified“ date and open the newest file that ends with .mailsignature.

5. Open the signature in TextEdit (right click on the file and choose Open With > TextEdit).

6. Open your HTML signature file in TextEdit as well.

7. Select the whole content of your HTML signature (CMD + A) and copy the data (CMD + C).

8. In your .mailsignature file, select the content starting with <body …. and replace it with your HTML data (CMD + V)

Important: Do not delete the data above <body … .

9. Save the file and close TextEdit.

10. Go back to your folder in Finder, right click on the mail signature you just edited and choose „Get Info“.