How to save an HTML signature in Apple Mail

Summary

This article shows you how to configure Apple Mail.app to use an HTML web page as an email signature.

Benefits of using HTML signatures

  • Save time. No need to keep recreating your existing signature.
  • Use the same signature over different email apps.
  • More professional online-branding.
  • More control over the formatting of your signature.
  • Faster email. Using optimized HTML code reduces the size of your email signature meaning your email sends faster.

Before you start

This guide assumes you have already created a HTML signature and have published it signature to your Ecenica web space.

How to save an HTML signature into Apple Mail

HTML signatures allow you greater control over how your signature is displayed. They let you use your existing company’s HTML and keep your email signature uniform throughout your email applications, staff and company.

  1. Open Mail.
  2. From Mail’s top menu click Mail > Preferences.
  3. Click Signatures.
  4. Create a new signature and give it a memorable name.
  5. Quit Mail.
  6. Open Safari. Open your HTML signature you saved earlier to your Ecenica webspace.
  7. From Safari’s top menu, click File > Saves As (Apple Command + S)
  8. Navigate to ‘~/Library/Mail/Signatures’ and select the file you wish to save.
  9. Under Format, select ‘Web Archive’.
  10. Click Save.
  11. Open Mail.
  12. Click Signatures.
  13. You should now see your HTML signature in the editing window.
  14. Click on your signature and drag it on to the email account that you wish to apply it to.
  15. Close the Preferences panel (Apple Command + w).
  16. Complete the setup by testing your new signature.
  17. Click ‘New Message’.
  18. Your signature will now display. If not, try selecting it from the signature drop-menu.

Troubleshooting

  • Check Apple Mail. is configured to send email using Rich Text (Mail > Preferences > Composing > Message Format.
  • Check you’ve saved your web.archive file to the correct location. Note ‘~’ equals your home folder.
  • If your signature loses images or formatting after importing into Apple Mail. Go back to your HTML code and check that you’re using absolute path to your images. Use inline CSS styles and it’s best to use HTML tables over DIVS, as many email applications do not support advanced HTML formatting or HTML5.