HTML Signatures in Apple Mail

Short, concise and good looking HTML email signatures!

Though there are quite a few of email applications for the Mac OSX none of them combine all the email accounts into one. I mean they don’t work with my work email stringhamdb@familysearch.org while working with my personal and schools emails or vice versa. The only one that does is Apple Mail. The email signature feature in Apple Mail is very limited and this post is a way to work around that.

A very nicely detailed post “How To Make an HTML Signature in Apple Mail for Yosemite OS X 10.10” explains all you need to know. I’ll just explain the steps I took:

  • I created a simple HTML email signature:
<table style="border-top: 1px solid black;border-bottom: 1px solid black;" cellspacing="2"> <tr> <td rowspan=2> <div style="width:32px;height:32px;background-color:#ffffff;background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,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);"></div></td><td><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family: sans-serif"> <strong>Don Stringham</strong> &#8226 donbstringham</span> </td></tr><tr> <td><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://donbstringham" target="_blank" style="color:#0E5A94; margin-right: 8px;text-decoration: none">donbstringham.us</a><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DonStringham/about" target="_blank" style="color:#0E5A94; margin-right: 8px;text-decoration: none"><span style="display:inline-block;width:12px;height:12px;background-color:#ffffff;background-image:url('data:image/png;base64,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');"></span></a><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/codeninjadon" target="_blank" style="color:#0E5A94; margin-right: 8px; text-decoration: none"><span style="display:inline-block;width:12px;height:12px;background-color:#ffffff;background-image:url('data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAwAAAAMCAMAAABhq6zVAAAAGXRFWHRTb2Z0d2FyZQBBZG9iZSBJbWFnZVJlYWR5ccllPAAAABhQTFRF/f7+JpfBtNvqDY68QabMb7fVB36xhcLd5+4SkQAAAEZJREFUeNpUygEKwDAIQ9HEaLz/jedYV9qHCB9FHVC9FbIQuUCM1oeQKmeqKU3MG0as4EyAf7T7jLkYvsKkqXcb6S0fAQYApaYCATwXvWYAAAAASUVORK5CYII=');"></span></a><a href="http://twitter.com/donbstringham" target="_blank" style="color:#0E5A94; margin-right: 8px;text-decoration: none"><span style="display:inline-block;width:15px;height:12px;background-color:#ffffff;background-image:url('data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAA8AAAAMCAMAAACKnBfWAAAAGXRFWHRTb2Z0d2FyZQBBZG9iZSBJbWFnZVJlYWR5ccllPAAAABhQTFRFmt74bM/1AKvt////wuv7M73x6Pj+GLTv5yG7DgAAAFdJREFUeNpMjkEKADEIA6NG/f+PN9XCdg7iBJGgKgamJ0kwJ6AfGoCG3NaJSvc0XR8scLcF8n6coeQPOuSVz7n8vhYZ43FfTBEQtmrTC4Vs7zZu7U+AAQDIMQIRVcfi4QAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==');"></span></a></span></td></tr></table>

  • I then minified the HTML at: http://www.willpeavy.com/minifier/

  • Next I created a new email signature in Apple Mail (Mail > Preferences > Choose Email Account > +)

  • In that new email signature it put the text “PLACEHOLDER”.

  • Exited Apple Mail.

  • Navigated to: ~/Library/Mail/V2/MailData/Signatures

  • Selected the desired email signature file. It should look something like 04868CEC-66BF-461B-A566-B74574C880EB.mailsignature.

  • Right click the desired email signature file and make sure the checkbox Locked is NOT checked.

  • Open the desired email signature file in a text editor. I use Sublime Text 3.

  • Paste the minified HTML into the email signature file on top of the text “PLACEHOLDER”.

  • Save the email signature file.

  • On the file information dialog make sure Locked is now checked.

  • Launch Apple Mail, compose an email and you should see your nifty new HTML email signature.