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Apple mail doesn't load HTML signature

Two days ago I upgraded from macOS Catalina to Monterey.


My rich HTML signature (including remote images) no longer displays. The remote images are just boxes with question marks. This started happening right after my first boot into Monterey.


When I send them to recipients, the recipients DO see the images correctly. Therefore, something's just weird on my local computer (the one running Monterey).


I did check the Mail preferences > Privacy and made sure that Block All Remote Content is DISABLED. Images embedded in other mails (for example, mailing lists) do appear normally, so it's not that Mail is not loading remote images. It's ONLY my signatures.


I also checked the Mail preferences > Signatures and made sure that "Always match my default message font" is DISABLED, as is required for HTML signatures.


I also deleted my signatures and re-created them. Same issue. I even updated the embedded links (what used to be headshot.jpg. is now headshot2.jpg) and that didn't fix it.


I suspect that perhaps Mail is caching this somehow -- caching "broken" images, or being very lazy in going to get them. How can I fix this?

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Jan 20, 2022 8:18 PM

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Question marked as Best answer

Thanks. I've now finally, after hours of experimentation, finally solved it. The JPG's (or other images) need to be converted to base64, and it can be done using a tool like this: https://base64.guru/converter/encode/image/jpg


Once you get the base64 code, you can use this HTML as the HTML signature, replacing the obvious elements:


<a href="REPLACEURL" title="REPLACETITLE" style='color: transparent; width: 20px; height: 20px; display: inline-block; background: none; background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,INSERTBASE64"), url("INSERTIMAGEURL"); background-size: cover;'>&nbsp</a>


REPLACEURL = the URL you want this entire thing to link to

REPLACETITLE = the title that should appear if, for any reason, the image doesn't load

INSERTBASE64 = the base64 code for the JPG (this will be long and illegible)

INSERTIMAGEURL = the fixed URL for the JPG (some mail clients will use this)


Also make sure to adjust width and height to the exact dimensions you want the HTML image to appear.


One other recommendation: I found a $2.99 app in the App Store that greatly simplifies the process of adding the HTML signature to Apple Mail (and there are companion apps for other e-mail clients too): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/html-email-signature-mail/id1106206471?mt=12

Posted on Jan 24, 2022 2:47 PM

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Question marked as Best answer

Jan 24, 2022 2:47 PM in response to lllaass

Thanks. I've now finally, after hours of experimentation, finally solved it. The JPG's (or other images) need to be converted to base64, and it can be done using a tool like this: https://base64.guru/converter/encode/image/jpg


Once you get the base64 code, you can use this HTML as the HTML signature, replacing the obvious elements:


<a href="REPLACEURL" title="REPLACETITLE" style='color: transparent; width: 20px; height: 20px; display: inline-block; background: none; background-image: url("data:image/png;base64,INSERTBASE64"), url("INSERTIMAGEURL"); background-size: cover;'>&nbsp</a>


REPLACEURL = the URL you want this entire thing to link to

REPLACETITLE = the title that should appear if, for any reason, the image doesn't load

INSERTBASE64 = the base64 code for the JPG (this will be long and illegible)

INSERTIMAGEURL = the fixed URL for the JPG (some mail clients will use this)


Also make sure to adjust width and height to the exact dimensions you want the HTML image to appear.


One other recommendation: I found a $2.99 app in the App Store that greatly simplifies the process of adding the HTML signature to Apple Mail (and there are companion apps for other e-mail clients too): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/html-email-signature-mail/id1106206471?mt=12

Apple mail doesn't load HTML signature

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