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Email campaigns1 min read

A picture in my email shows as a black box or does not appear

A logo or a signature that looks right on your website can go wrong in an email. Two things cause it, and both have the same fix: a PNG or JPEG copy of the picture with a solid background.

The prompt

“Check the pictures in my emails and make email-safe copies of any that need it.”

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What goes wrong

  • The picture does not appear. Bernard stores the pictures on your site as WebP, a modern format that keeps pages fast. Outlook for Windows does not show WebP.
  • The background turns black. A signature or logo with a see-through background can turn into a black box when someone forwards your email, because some mail apps fill the see-through area with black.

How to fix it

Ask Bernard: “Make email-safe copies of the pictures in my emails.” For each picture it:

  1. makes a copy of the picture already on your site, as a PNG (logos, signatures) or a JPEG (photos), with a solid background in the colour of your email;
  2. puts the copy in your email in place of the original.

Your website keeps the original picture. Nothing is sent until you approve it.

For how Bernard matches your emails to your site, see How Bernard styles your email.

Bernard checks for you

When Bernard saves an email, an automatic email or an email template, it tells you if a picture in it is WebP. The check reads file names, so it cannot see whether a PNG has a see-through background. If someone tells you a picture turned black, ask Bernard to make a copy with a solid background in the same way.

Questions people ask

Why did my signature turn into a black box when someone forwarded my email?
Your signature picture has a see-through background. Some mail apps fill a see-through area with black when an email is forwarded. A copy of the picture with a solid background, white or the colour of your email, looks the same everywhere.
Why does my logo not show in Outlook?
Pictures on your site are stored in a modern format called WebP, which keeps pages fast. Outlook for Windows does not show WebP pictures at all. Emails need a PNG or a JPEG copy instead.
Do I need to upload new files myself?
No. Ask Bernard to make email-safe copies. It turns a picture that is already on your site into a PNG or a JPEG with a solid background, and puts the new copy in your emails. Your website keeps the original.
PNG or JPEG: which one?
PNG for logos, signatures and drawings with sharp edges. JPEG for photographs, where it keeps the file small.
Will Bernard warn me?
Yes. When an email or an automatic email uses a WebP picture, Bernard says so when it saves it. The warning never stops the save, so you can fix it when it suits you.
Does this change my website?
No. The copy is a new file next to the original. Pages on your site keep using the original picture, and an email with the new copy is still sent only after you approve it.

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