Animated GIF signature not working in Outlook? Here’s why.

Classic Outlook for Windows draws emails with Word’s layout engine. In Outlook 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016 that engine shows only the first frame of an animated GIF. Current Microsoft 365 versions of classic Outlook, the new Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web and Outlook for Mac play animated GIFs.

What matters is the recipient’s Outlook, not yours: the same email can animate for one person and sit still for another.

Tip: Signature reveals start from an empty page and write themselves out, so their first frame is blank. In Outlook versions that show only the first frame, the signature can look empty. Send those recipients the still PNG instead (fix 5).

In classic Outlook for Windows, open File, then Office Account, then About Outlook. If it says Outlook 2016 or earlier, it won’t animate GIFs; update to Microsoft 365 or switch to the new Outlook with the toggle at the top right of the window.

Recent Microsoft 365 versions of classic Outlook can turn GIF animation off. Open File, Options, Advanced, and under Display make sure Play animated GIFs is ticked. Restart Outlook after changing it.

Outlook follows Windows’ own animation setting. On Windows 11, open Settings, Accessibility, Visual effects, and turn Animation effects on. On Windows 10 it’s under Settings, Ease of Access, Display, Show animations in Windows.

Add the GIF from the signature editor’s picture button, rather than pasting it or attaching it. In the new Outlook and Outlook on the web that’s Settings, Accounts, Signatures; in classic Outlook it’s File, Options, Mail, Signatures. A pasted image can arrive as an attachment, and an attachment never animates in the signature.

If the GIF shows at a huge size in classic Outlook, right-click it in the signature editor, choose Picture, and set its width; half the file’s width keeps it sharp on high-resolution screens.

You can’t change your recipients’ Outlook. If many of them use older versions, as some companies do, keep two signatures: the animated GIF for everyone else, and a transparent PNG of the finished signature for those contacts. In classic Outlook you can pick a signature per email from Insert, Signature.

Every animated email signature from Everstroke comes with both: the looping GIF and a 3000 px transparent PNG of the final frame.

If recipients see an empty box or a placeholder, Outlook is blocking downloaded pictures for that sender. They can click the bar at the top of the email to download pictures, or add you to their safe senders. Images inserted from your computer travel with the email, so they’re blocked less often than images linked from a web address.