Why is my image not visible in my newsletter?

If an image or logo isn’t showing in your newsletter, there are two common causes: the file is an SVG (which Letterhead doesn’t accept at all), or the file is over your account’s upload size limit (10MB unless your account has a higher one). If an animated GIF shows as a still picture instead, see Animated GIFs and file size.

SVG isn’t accepted

SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) scales without losing quality, but not all email clients support it — and some block SVGs for security reasons. Because of that, Letterhead doesn’t accept SVG uploads at all: an SVG file is rejected at upload, whether you use the upload button or drag and drop, so it never makes it into your newsletter in the first place.

Size limit

Uploaded images have a 10MB maximum file size. A file over that limit fails to upload — if your image doesn’t seem to be uploading at all, check its file size before anything else.

Some accounts have a higher limit set for them (for example, 20MB). If you regularly work with larger files and your upload fails at 10MB, ask your Letterhead contact whether a higher limit applies to your account.

Animated GIFs and file size

An animated GIF stays animated in your newsletter when the file is under 1MB and hasn’t been cropped or edited in Letterhead. A larger GIF still uploads (up to your upload limit above), but your readers see it as a still image instead of an animation once it reaches 1MB, and so does a GIF you crop or edit after uploading. If your animation turns into a still picture, check its file size first. To shrink it, shorten the animation or reduce its dimensions in your own editing tool before you upload it, rather than cropping or resizing it in Letterhead.

Some accounts have a higher animated GIF limit set for them. On those accounts, a GIF stays animated up to that higher size instead of 1MB. Larger GIFs download in full every time a reader opens your newsletter, so they load more slowly than smaller ones.

Recommended formats

Use widely supported formats — JPEG, PNG, or GIF — so every recipient can see your images. From best to worst for email:

1. JPEG (JPG) — the most widely used format for email; compression reduces file size while preserving quality. Best all-around choice.
2. PNG — lossless and supports transparency; great for simple graphics or text. Files can be larger than JPEG.
3. GIF — supports transparency and animation; ideal for short animations and simple graphics.
4. WebP, AVIF, HEIF, or ICO — also accepted, but less consistently supported across email clients than JPEG, PNG, or GIF.
5. BMP — not recommended: large, uncompressed files.
6. TIFF — not recommended: professional print format with very large files.

Overall, JPEG offers the best balance of quality and size for email.

Once your image is in a supported format and under 10MB, see How to change or add an image in a newsletter? to swap it in and style it.