How to Correctly Set Up Your Email Signature

Updated by Caroline Pollard

(Avoid Base64 Encoding)

In this guide, you will be guided through how to correctly set up your email signature, so your logo or image is not encoded in Base64.

View instructional video here

Why this matters for email signatures

If an image in your email signature is embedded as Base64:

  • The email size becomes much larger
  • Some mail servers may flag or block it
  • It can affect deliverability
  • It may cause formatting issues
Step 1: Check Your Current Email Signature

Go to Settings

Click My Account

Scroll down to the Email Signature section.

If you already have an image in your signature:

  • Right-click on the image
  • Select Copy Image Address
  • Open a new browser tab
  • Paste the URL into the address bar
Important Check

If the URL contains the word “Base64”, this is incorrect.

Base64 is a type of encoding that increases the image size by approximately 33%, which can cause:

  • Email delivery delays
  • Emails failing to send
  • Spam filtering issues

If your image is Base64 encoded:

  • Click on the image inside your signature editor
  • Select Delete
How to Correctly Add an Image to Your Email Signature

To correctly insert an image, it must be hosted online.

If your image is already hosted:

  • Click the PNG/Image icon in the signature editor
  • Paste the direct image URL
  • Click Insert
Simple Hosting Option – Using Google Photos
Step 1: Upload Your Image
  • Open Google Photos
  • Click + New Album
  • Upload your image (e.g. your logo)
  • Click the three dots
  • Select Options
  • Turn on Link Sharing
Step 3: Copy the Image Address
  • Click on the image
  • Right-click and select Copy Image Address
Step 4: Insert into Chief
  • Go back into Chief
  • Click the PNG/Image button
  • Paste the image URL
  • Click Insert

Give it a moment to load. You can then resize the image as needed.

Why This Matters

Using a properly hosted image ensures:

  • Your image is not Base64 encoded
  • Emails are delivered reliably
  • No unnecessary file size inflation
  • A more professional and consistent client experience

Taking a few minutes to correct this now will help prevent email delivery issues down the track.

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