Why does Gmail say my email signature is too long?
When you paste your MySignature email signature into Gmail settings and click Save changes, Gmail may display one of the following error messages:
"The signature is too long. Please try a shorter signature."
"Sorry, the signature for <your email address> is too long. Please try a shorter signature."
Cause: This error occurs when your email signature exceeds 10,000 characters in HTML code and is copied using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Chrome and Edge add extra browser-specific characters to the HTML code during copying, pushing the signature past Gmail's 10,000-character limit.
Solution 1: Minify your MySignature email signature
If your MySignature email signature contains too much HTML code, reduce its total character count in the MySignature editor before pasting it into Gmail.
Open your email signature in the MySignature editor.
Shorten long destination URLs using an online link shortener, such as Short URL, before adding them to your signature.
Remove non-essential text (such as lengthy legal disclaimers) and unnecessary add-ons to keep your signature layout compact.
Copy your updated signature, paste it into Gmail settings, and click Save changes.
Expected outcome: Your minified signature contains fewer than 10,000 HTML characters and saves in Gmail without triggering a length error.
Solution 2: Completely clear the Gmail signature box before pasting
If leftover HTML code from a previous signature remains in the Gmail signature editor, combining old and new code can exceed the 10,000-character limit.
Open Gmail settings and navigate to the Signature section.
Click inside the Gmail signature text box.
Press Ctrl + A (Windows) or Command + A (Mac) to select all visible and hidden HTML code inside the box.
Press Delete to completely empty the signature box.
Paste your MySignature email signature into the empty box and click Save changes.
Expected outcome: All hidden HTML remnants are removed, allowing your new signature to save properly in Gmail.
Solution 3: Copy and paste your signature using Mozilla Firefox
Because Chrome and Edge insert extra characters when copying HTML signatures, copying your signature in Mozilla Firefox avoids adding unnecessary characters and prevents unwanted link underlining.
Open Mozilla Firefox on your computer.
Log in to your MySignature account and copy your email signature from your dashboard.
Open Gmail in Mozilla Firefox, go to your Signature settings, and paste your signature into the empty signature box.
Click Save changes at the bottom of the Gmail settings page.
Expected outcome: Mozilla Firefox copies clean HTML code without extra browser characters, allowing Gmail to save your signature without errors.
Solution 4: Install your signature using the MySignature Chrome extension
To bypass Gmail's manual paste character limit and automatically sync future updates from your MySignature Dashboard, install your signature using the MySignature Chrome extension.
Install and set up the MySignature Chrome extension by following the step-by-step instructions in How to install signature in Gmail using MySignature Chrome extension?
Select your signature in the extension so it is inserted automatically into your Gmail messages.
Expected outcome: Your MySignature email signature appears automatically in your Gmail messages without hitting Gmail's manual signature length restriction, and any edits you make in your MySignature Dashboard update automatically without manual reinstallation.
Need more help?
If you still cannot save your signature in Gmail after trying these solutions, check our Knowledge Base for more articles, or contact our Support Team via live chat or email.