Why am I getting the "The signature is too long" error message in Gmail?

You’ve worked hard to create a beautiful signature. But as you hit Save, you get an error message saying “The signature is too long. Please try a shorter signature.”

When this happens, you won’t be able to add a signature in Gmail or send emails. And if you’re not sure why it happened or what the length limits are, figuring out what changes to make probably won’t be easy either.

To help you quickly resolve the issue when your Gmail signature is too long, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know.

Understanding the “Signature Too Long” error message

As the “Gmail signature too long” error message implies, the signature did not save because it exceeded Gmail’s limit for how long it can be. But what’s the actual limit?

In short, Gmail’s email signature needs to be under 10,000 characters long before you can save it. But that isn’t as straightforward as it may seem.

Gmail counts not just the text symbols you see when you paste your signature, but also the HTML code used for formatting the signature. That means that signatures containing various elements like graphics, buttons, and embedded elements will count towards the total as well, which can end up taking up a big chunk of the allowed characters.

If you exceed the character limit when pasting your email signature, you won’t be able to save the signature or send emails with it attached. You’ll first need to address the issue and reduce the character count.

How to fix the “signature too long” error message

Getting the “Google signature too long” message is certainly frustrating. But it’s also a common error that can be solved. There are a few things you can try to quickly fix it and get your signature working on Gmail.

Check the character count

The first step of fixing the error message is understanding how many characters you need to eliminate. 

While Gmail doesn’t have a built-in character counter for signatures, you can use third-party solutions like Word Counter or Character Counter, pasting your signature to figure out exactly how long it is with all of the source code included.

Shorten your email signature

Once you know how much you need to cut down, it’s time to look for opportunities to shorten the email signature. Luckily, there are quite a few ways you can do that:

• Remove long links and extra text. One of the easiest ways to make your signature shorter is to shorten your long links with a URL shortener tool like Bitly. You can also remove unnecessary contact information, lengthy greetings, quotes, and other non-essential parts.
• Prioritize essential information. Cover the most important information, such as your name, title, company name, contact details, and relevant links. Consider removing anything that’s not as important.
• Use abbreviations. Long titles can be shortened to reduce the character count. For example, the chief executive officer can be shortened to CEO.
• Avoid long disclaimers. If you have long disclaimers, consider either removing them, shortening them, or linking to them instead. 

Use the Mozilla browser for copying and pasting

The browser you use when pasting your signature can actually have an impact on whether it fits under the character limit or not. That’s because the Mozilla browser helps to copy the signature without underlines or additional characters, which can help reduce the signature’s length.

Here’s how you can use Mozilla to copy and paste your signature:

1. Open your signature in a text editor or signature generator you use such as Newoldstamp.
2. Copy the email signature.
3. Paste it into the Gmail signature box.

Remove hidden formatting

You don’t want to waste precious characters on format elements that are hidden. Here’s how you can remove them:

• Paste your signature into a plain text editor to strip away any unnecessary formatting elements.
• If you know how to use the Inspect Element tool, you can identify and remove unnecessary HTML tags that could be bloating the character count in your email signature. 
• Sometimes, a glitch can cause Gmail to leave hidden characters in your signature. Press CTRL + A (Command +A for Mac) to select all text, and then delete. This will ensure there’s no hidden code, allowing you to paste the signature again.

Optimize images

Optimizing images can help save space and allow you to fit your signature within Gmail’s limits, avoiding the dreaded “email signature too long” Gmail message.

One way to achieve that is to resize the image, reducing its dimensions using a tool like Canva. You should also use compressed image formats like JPEG and PNG to save space.

Alternative solutions

While all of these tips can be effective at reducing the character count when Gmail says the signature is too long, there are alternative solutions that can often be simpler and much more intuitive.

With tools like Newoldstamp, you can create and manage professional email signatures with ease. These tools come with pre-built templates, and image hosting, all of which come in handy when you want to ensure that your signature will work on various email service providers, including Gmail.

You should also consider using multiple signatures in Gmail, with a shorter signature for everyday use and a more detailed one for more formal communication.

Best practices for creating an effective email signature for Gmail

When it comes to creating a great signature for Gmail, it’s not just about avoiding the “Gmail signature too long” message. It’s also about following proven marketing principles that will make an email signature a powerful tool for boosting brand awareness and generating sales for your business.

Here are some of the best practices you should consider:

• Stay concise and relevant. There are countless options for what you could include in your HTML email signature, but not all of them are necessary. Consider the key personal and company details you want to convey based on your goals.
• Maintain consistency with branding. Every element in your signature should align with your brand. That includes fonts, colors, logos, and even the tone you use in the messaging.
• Include a call to action. The best email signature examples always have a clear purpose. Whether it’s visiting your site, booking a meeting, following you on social media, or buying your products, always add a CTA that helps your business grow.
• Ensure mobile responsiveness. Your signature needs to be displayed correctly on all devices. Otherwise, it will not only fail to accomplish your goals but also make your business look unprofessional.
• Be mindful of images. Each visual element takes up precious space, so before you add an image to a Gmail signature, make sure it’s necessary, professional-looking, and well-formatted. A Gmail signature not showing up can often be caused by poorly formatted images.
• Add social media icons. Email signatures are the perfect tool for growing your social media presence. That’s why it always makes sense to add social media links in a Gmail signature, especially to profiles you’re active on.
• Consider a legal disclaimer. If your business requires a legal disclaimer in the signature, add it either as a pasted text or as a link to a separate page.
• Test before finalizing. Running a quick test on multiple devices and email clients will help ensure that everything looks just how you want it to.
• Regularly update your signature. If your contact details, job title, or any other information changes, make sure to update your Gmail email signature immediately. It’s a good idea to review your email signature at least every few months. 

Create professional email signatures with Newoldstamp

If you want to use email signatures to enhance communication and boost your marketing, a comprehensive solution like Newoldstamp can be an indispensable asset.

Take advantage of professionally designed template options, ensure compatibility by always having the best format for an email signature, and create email signatures that match your brand and get results.