Error Message "Gmail Signature is Too Long"

Contents of the guide:

• Understanding the "Signature Too Long" error message in Gmail
• Character limit for Gmail email signatures
• How to Fix the "Gmail Signature is Too Long" Error Message
• Check character count
• Shorten your email signature
• Use Mozilla browser for copying and pasting
• Remove hidden formatting
• Optimize images
• Try alternative solutions
• How to create an effective email signature for Gmail without errors?
• Quick Recap
• Create and set up a new email signature in minutes
• Explore more email signature guides for Gmail

Have you ever encountered the frustrating "Gmail signature too long" error message? It's a common headache for many email users. It turns out that Gmail has a character limit for signatures. This includes all the characters in the HTML code behind your signature design.

In this guide, we'll explore the causes of this error in more detail and provide you with step-by-step solutions to fix it.

Understanding the "Signature Too Long" error message in Gmail

In order to ensure optimal performance and readability, Gmail imposes a character limit on email signatures. Exceeding this limit can trigger the "Gmail signature is too long" error message, preventing you from saving or updating your signature. But what exactly is the character limit for Gmail sign-offs?

Character limit for Gmail email signatures

The limit is 10,000 characters. The problem is that you can see that your email footer has not too much text. However, you still get the "The signature is too long. Please try a shorter signature." error message. So, what do you do wrong?

It's important to note that Gmail counts all characters, whether they're HTML code or text. So, even if the visible text in your email signature is under 10,000 characters, if you include the HTML code, it will likely exceed that limit.

Let's try to figure out what you can do about that.

How to fix the "Gmail Signature is Too Long" error message

Here are a few methods to reduce the number of characters in your email signature so you don't get that message from Gmail.

Check character count

Before making any changes, it's important to check the character count of your email signature. Locate the source code, copy and paste it into a program like Google Drive or any other that has a character count feature. This will help you identify the excess characters and trim your signature to meet Gmail's 10,000-character limit.

Shorten your email signature

Remove any long links, extra text, or unnecessary add-ons. You can use online link shorteners like Bitly or TinyURL for long URLs to reduce the number of characters. Next, prioritize essential information such as your name, title, and contact details. Consider using abbreviations and acronyms to condense text where possible. Finally, remove unnecessary disclaimers or quotes to keep your signature concise and focused on the most important information.

Use Mozilla browser for copying and pasting

Here's a simple trick to try: If you're having trouble with the email signature too long Gmail error, use the Mozilla browser. Copy your signature there and paste it into Gmail. Mozilla can help you copy the signature without any extra underlines and doesn't add additional characters. Just remember, you need to have Gmail open in Mozilla for this to work smoothly.

Remove hidden formatting

Sometimes, hidden formatting can cause the "Email signature too long" error message. Paste your signature into a plain text editor to remove any hidden characters, or use the Inspect Element tool in Gmail to identify and remove unnecessary HTML tags. To use the Inspect Element, highlight the text, right-click, and select Inspect Element.

Also remember that it's important to start with a clean slate when you add a new signature in Gmail so that remnants of old signatures don't contribute to the total number of characters.

To select and delete an existing signature: Click inside the signature text box, use Ctrl + A (or Command + A on Mac) to select all existing content, and press Delete. This action ensures that you do not leave behind any invisible HTML code or stray characters that could take up some of your 10,000-character limit.

Optimize images

If you add images to your Gmail signature, resize them to smaller dimensions and use compressed image formats like JPEG or PNG. For banners, aim for a width of 600 pixels or less to prevent overflow into recipient emails. Logos and photos should ideally be between 100-300 pixels wide. When incorporating social media icons in Gmail signature, opt for 32x32 or 48x48 px buttons for a clean, clickable appearance. Additionally, consider linking to the image instead of embedding it to reduce the overall size of your signature.

Try alternative solutions

If you've exhausted all other options and still find yourself struggling to trim down the character count, starting afresh with a new template might be the way to go. However, manually coding an HTML email signature can be laborious and may result in unnecessary code clutter. By utilizing tools like MySignature email signature generator, you can create an email footer that's fully optimized in both size and appearance. The best part? You can choose from a wide range of professionally designed, effective email signature templates to match your brand and goals, no matter if you're an individual or a company. You only need to fill in the blanks on a proven design, and rest assured that the signature will look great in the inbox of most of the major email clients.

How to create an effective email signature for Gmail without errors?

Let's discover together how to create the perfect signature for your Gmail and fix the "Gmail signature is too long" error. Watch our video and learn how to do it flawlessly.

Quick Recap

Lengthy signatures can be a problem in Gmail because of its 10,000-character limit. So here's a quick guide on what to do when Gmail says signature is too long. Go to Gmail settings, review your signature in the signature box, and paste it into Google Docs to check the character count. If it exceeds 10,000 characters, trim unnecessary details and shorten the HTML code. Strike a balance between professionalism and personality to avoid hitting the limit.

Remember, while Gmail has its limits, your creativity doesn't have to suffer.

So, next time you get an error message saying that the signature is too long or when you just want a more polished and well-optimized signature, try an alternative solution like MySignature.