Add image to Roundcube interface

Roundcube does not include a built-in drag-and-drop image insertion feature, but you can still add images to your emails using HTML source mode. This is especially useful for embedding logos, promotional banners, or header visuals directly into the body of your message instead of attaching them separately.

1. Prepare Your Image

1. Upload your image to a publicly accessible URL — this could be your website, a cloud storage service, or an image hosting platform.
2. Copy the full direct URL to the image (it should end in .jpg, .png, .gif, or .webp).
3. Keep your image under 500 KB for best email compatibility. Many email clients block or delay images larger than 1 MB.

2. Insert the Image via HTML Mode

1. Log in to Roundcube Webmail and click Compose to start a new email.
2. In the compose window, click the Toggle HTML mode button (it looks like </> or shows the text "HTML" in the toolbar).
3. You will now see the HTML source code of your message.
4. Insert your image using an <img> tag. Example:
   

   <img src="https://example.com/your-logo.jpg" alt="Company Logo" width="400">

5. Click the Toggle HTML mode button again to return to the visual editor and verify the image appears correctly.
6. Complete your email and send it.

3. Alternative: Attach the Image

If you prefer not to use HTML, click the Attach button (paperclip icon) to attach the image file. The recipient will see it as a standard attachment. Note that attached images are not displayed inline unless the recipient's email client supports it.

Important Notes

• Images must be hosted online. You cannot use local files from your computer in HTML mode — the recipient will see a broken image icon.
• Always include an alt attribute in your <img> tag. If the recipient's email client blocks images (which Outlook and Gmail do by default), they will see the alt text instead.
• Always specify a width attribute to prevent oversized images that break your email layout. Recommended: width="400" to width="600" pixels.
• Use HTTPS URLs only. Many email clients will not load images from http:// sources for security reasons.
• Some corporate firewalls and email spam filters strip embedded HTML images. If your recipient reports a missing image, the attachment method is more reliable.

Troubleshooting

• Image appears as a broken icon when composing: Verify the image URL is correct and accessible by opening it directly in a new browser tab. If you see a 403 Forbidden or 404 error, the URL is wrong or the image has been moved.
• "HTML mode" button is missing: Your Roundcube installation may have HTML editing disabled. Check that your compose window is set to HTML (not plain text). Look for a Plaintext/HTML toggle — if you only see "Plaintext," contact your hosting provider to enable HTML composition.
• Recipient reports the image is missing: Most email clients block remote images by default and require the recipient to click "Allow images" or "Display images below." This is normal behavior, not a bug. Consider adding a note like "If images do not display, click here to view online."
• Email marked as spam after adding images: Using too many large external images can trigger spam filters. Keep images small, use HTTPS, and avoid linking to suspicious or ad-filled domains.
• Want to embed the image directly (CID embedding): This is not supported through Roundcube's interface. You would need to use a desktop email client like Mozilla Thunderbird or Outlook to embed images as MIME parts.

Still stuck? Contact our support team and we'll help you get it working.