Why does my Gmail signature get messed up when someone forwards or replies to my email?

Amy Lockwood
Amy Lockwood
Co-Founder & Head of App and Web Design (15+ Years Experience)
Updated On: Feb 11, 2025
Gmail

If your Gmail signature gets "messed up" when someone forwards or replies to your email, it's typically due to how email clients handle formatting, images, and HTML when messages are forwarded or replied to. Here's a breakdown of the common causes.

Why does my Gmail signature get messed up when someone forwards or replies to my email?

As a leading SaaS provider specializing in HTML email signatures for over 13 years, we’ve seen countless cases of Gmail signatures appearing differently in replies and forwarded emails. While it may seem like a technical issue that can be resolved, the reality is that Gmail, like many email clients, automatically modifies HTML formatting in email threads, and this behavior cannot be prevented.

Gmail’s handling of plain text mode, CSS stripping, nested replies, and email thread compression means that elements such as fonts, spacing, and images may appear altered when replying or forwarding messages. This isn’t due to an issue with your email signature itself but rather how Gmail processes and reinterprets HTML in email conversations.

While these alterations may be frustrating, if properly designed and tested, the original signature remains intact when first received by the recipient, meaning your branding, contact details, and professional presentation are preserved in initial emails. In this article, we’ll break down the most common causes of signature changes in Gmail replies and forwards so you can better understand why it happens.

‍Common Causes of Gmail Signatures Altering on Reply or Forwarded Emails

  1. HTML Code Alterations:
    • When emails are forwarded or replied to, the receiving email client may strip or modify the original HTML code, affecting formatting, alignment, or styles in your signature.
    • There's nothing you can do about that, that's on the receiver's end.
    • It's ok because the receiver is viewing your email signature correctly (as long as you've tested it!), it's only on reply/forward that it get's messed up.
  2. Inline CSS and Styling Issues:
    • Some email clients don't fully support inline CSS or alter it during forwarding/replying. This can cause spacing, font, or color changes.
    • Learn how to code email signatures correctly using tables.

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  1. Image Hosting Problems:
    • Images in your signature may not be displayed correctly if they are hosted on unreliable servers or embedded as attachments. This can lead to broken links or missing visuals.
    • Use a reputable email signature hosting service like Email Signature Rescue to ensure your signature images are hosted correctly.
  2. Plain Text Replies:
    • If the recipient or forwarder uses plain text mode (which strips all formatting), your signature will be converted to plain text, removing any styling and images.
    • Just like above, there's nothing we can do about that, that's on the receiver's end.
  3. Email Client Compatibility:
    • Different email clients (e.g., Outlook, Apple Mail, Yahoo) handle forwarded/replied emails differently. They may strip some formatting or compress images.
  4. Repeated Signature Additions:
    • Gmail appends your email signature to the email body every time you reply or forward. This can create duplicate or misaligned signatures, especially in long email threads.
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If you’ve noticed your email signature looking different when replying or forwarding in Gmail, you’re not alone. These changes are a built-in behavior of Gmail and many other email clients, not an issue with your signature design. Gmail modifies email threads for readability, stripping certain HTML elements and altering formatting in a way that cannot be prevented.

However, your original email signature remains intact when first received, meaning your professional branding is still displayed as intended in your initial emails. While the formatting may shift in ongoing conversations, rest assured that recipients have already seen your properly formatted signature in its original form.

At Email Signature Rescue, we specialize in professionally designed HTML email signatures that work across 60+ email clients and CRMs. While Gmail’s behavior is unavoidable, we ensure your signature looks as professional as possible in initial emails, with optimized designs that minimize formatting disruptions.

Amy Lockwood is the Co-Founder of Email Signature Rescue with over a decade of experience in HTML email signatures for 60+ email clients, apps and CRM software including Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail. She is the Head Designer of the Email Signature Rescue apps and website.

📩 Need help with your HTML email signatures? Contact Amy at emailsignaturerescue.com.

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