Creating Stationary Backgrounds in Mac Mail

Hi datadeliver,

welcome to the Apple user-to-user) Community!

Re: "Creating Stationary Backgrounds in Mac Mail" ..... "Is this possible?"

While the emails / templates you envisage may not be entirely possible in the Mail app, there are ways

Eg: You can insert a graphic image in an email, and write or draw on the image

... so seems you could use a background graphic to write on with the Mark up tools.

You can type your text, then drag the text box just where you want.

Mark up email attachments in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

NB: It may depend on the receiver's software whether their device supports displaying your colorful emails.

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Re: "nowhere can I find how to create a template with a color or image as a background".

You could make your own custom background, insert it in a Mail message, and save it as a draft.

Then, just copy and and paste the back ground from the draft into a new email whenever you want to use it. (Just make sure to retain a clear draft copy of the background, ready to use.)

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Re: Ideally, color fields would extend as you type.

It may not be quite your ideal:

yet you can choose a background color for any text you type, and have that extend as you type:

See: Format text in emails in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

Here is a link to the Mail User Guide for MacOS Sonoma: Mail User Guide for Mac - Apple Support

All the best :-)

In terms of Stationary on Mail there is one more little 'trick' I like to employ, usually for less formal occasions . . . . but not always. It is too easy and fun! And the ideal Mac/Apple work-around.

I simply use . . . . Keynote! Yup! I open a file for 'personal - fun' that is one workhorse of a file.

Start a new blank slide, blank white or blank any color or texture you like.

Make a box - rectangle or square, any shape really. Make the fill either empty or with a color or texture you like. Make the frame any sort you like.

Add a graphic or photo. Add a big title.

Add the text for your message.

Make the font all the same, but very readable. Some fonts I make one solid color - usually a thicker font - and then on the title I add the complementary color 'Outline' (Format, Text, More Text Options - the little gear). Make it thin.

Center things, make them left margin, what ever is appropriate for your style/needs/audience.

Then . . .

Export that one slide as a png or jpg. It will go to a new folder named the same name as the graphic - you write the name. Be sure to note the slide number and export From/To and choose that one slide. Otherwise you will get all the slides and separate graphics.

Then simply update that graphic for that week/month or meeting notice, etc.

Really, Keynote is my favorite Mail fun! Drop the graphic into an email for the group you select and everybody will see the exact same font/style/color etc. This is because it is a graphic and not a 'font'. This makes it the same fun for everyone on your list. You can finally use some of those special fonts only you have on your computer.

Have fun! RR Joe

Hi datadelver,(and all?),

I do two things! (getting a bit more in the weeds, thank you for your question).

First, I make the original slide on Keynote. When I get it the way I like it, with content, etc. In Keynote I duplicate the slide. I only use the duplicate. I do this so that if a special event comes and I change it a lot, (or I mess up!), I have the original slide.

Second, yes, I update the message in Keynote. Then I can either export the single slide to a PNG (my preference of format for email notices) or simply do a screen capture, command-control-shift-4. That copies the exact area I want - not the full screen - and I open the email and paste it in. It is quicker than exporting a PNG. You may prefer to export to a PNG rather than capture and save them in a folder for later reference. Or just go to sent mail.

Note, if you have a "company" graphic color, say a particular shade of blue or grey, etc. when in Keynote building your slide select the color wheel. You will see in the lower left area an eyedropper. Have your company, a logo or such, nearby and take the dropper and select that color for the box, text, etc on your slide. It's easy! You can even save that color in the wheel box at the bottom and build your library of colors you use.

I hope this helps.

Ciao, RRJ

Apple discontined the Mail Stationery feature with the release of macOS Mojave (10.14) several years ago. It is not coming back or Apple would have reversed course on that exclusion decision by now.

Thank you! I use email stationary for a food pantry network and it is useful to have the same monthly reporting form. One side "fix". Signature does not work. To make it "work", the work-around is to do a screen capture (command control shift 4) and then paste it into the email stationary you are building. I like my pantry network logo to be centered. To get that effect I "screen capture" the white to the left margin when copying the pantry logo and signature lines. It all works like a charm!

I have not tested links attached to graphics. Thanks again, RR Joe

(Apple - please put back stationary. Besides Draft add a Stationary folder.)

Thank you kindly for your thoughtful reply, data delver, and for your appreciation.

Text background is found in the Mail app's tools ...

When using it ... I find I use the space-bar a whole lot to extend the color-background wherever I want.

Wow! Thank you data delver, for posting the method you decided upon, and that works for you, here in the community. Good to know that others looking for answers can view it here! Congratulations on your creativity! Cheers :-)

Thank you kindly for your reply, RailroadJoe, and for sharing your experience with the Community. Cheers :-)