diff --git a/packages/shared/src/note-image-card.test.mjs b/packages/shared/src/note-image-card.test.mjs
index 633f060f..b0322f39 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/note-image-card.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/shared/src/note-image-card.test.mjs
@@ -12,6 +12,17 @@ import { pl } from "./i18n/pl";
 import { NOTE_IMAGE_FONT_SUBSETS } from "./note-image-font-manifest";
 
 describe("note image templates", () => {
+  test("author signatures show only the name without a generated avatar in every template", () => {
+    for (const theme of NOTE_IMAGE_THEME_OPTIONS) {
+      const markup = buildNoteImageCardMarkup({ theme, title: "Note", bodyHtml: "<p>Text</p>", author: "天马", showAuthor: true });
+      const { document } = parseHTML(markup);
+      const signature = document.querySelector(".edgeever-footer-author");
+      expect(signature?.textContent).toBe("天马");
+      expect(signature?.children.length).toBe(1);
+      expect(document.querySelector(".edgeever-card-avatar")).toBeNull();
+    }
+  });
+
   test("each template references the font family registered by its bundled assets", () => {
     for (const theme of NOTE_IMAGE_THEME_OPTIONS) {
       const preset = NOTE_IMAGE_TEMPLATE_TYPOGRAPHY[theme];
@@ -118,7 +129,8 @@ describe("note image templates", () => {
       }
     }
     const signed = buildNoteImageCardMarkup({ theme: "bento", title: "Note", bodyHtml: "", author: "天马", showAuthor: true, showBranding: false });
-    expect(signed).toContain('<span>天</span>');
+    expect(signed).not.toContain('class="edgeever-card-avatar"');
+    expect(signed).toContain('<span>天马</span>');
     expect(signed).toContain('<span>天马</span>');
     expect(signed).not.toContain('class="edgeever-brand-badge"');
   });
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/note-image-card.ts b/packages/shared/src/note-image-card.ts
index 101b4ad3..fea0d951 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/note-image-card.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/note-image-card.ts
@@ -207,9 +207,6 @@ export const buildNoteImageCardMarkup = ({
   const hasTitle = showTitle && Boolean(title.trim());
   const hasAuthor = showAuthor && Boolean(author.trim());
   const authorName = hasAuthor ? escapeCardHtml(author.trim()) : "";
-  const initial = escapeCardHtml(Array.from(author.trim())[0]?.toUpperCase() || "");
-  // Keep identity with the signature, away from the note's reading entry point.
-  const avatar = hasAuthor ? `<div class="edgeever-card-avatar" aria-hidden="true"><span>${initial}</span></div>` : "";
   const meta: string[] = [];
   const dateHtml = showUpdatedAt && updatedAt.trim() ? `<div class="edgeever-card-date"><span class="edgeever-meta-date">${escapeCardHtml(updatedAt)}</span></div>` : "";
   if (showNotebook && notebook.trim()) meta.push(`<span class="edgeever-meta-notebook">${escapeCardHtml(notebook)}</span>`);
@@ -237,7 +234,7 @@ export const buildNoteImageCardMarkup = ({
       </div>`;
   const footer = hasAuthor || showBranding || meta.length ? `<footer class="edgeever-card-footer">
     ${metaHtml}
-    ${hasAuthor ? `<div class="edgeever-footer-author">${avatar}<span>${authorName}</span></div>` : ""}
+    ${hasAuthor ? `<div class="edgeever-footer-author"><span>${authorName}</span></div>` : ""}
     ${showBranding ? brandBadgeHtml : ""}
   </footer>` : "";
   // Only a standalone short paragraph gets the large quotation treatment.
@@ -297,11 +294,6 @@ export const generateCardCss = ({ theme = "gradient", fontStyle = "auto", fontSi
   min-width: 0; overflow: hidden;
 }
 .edgeever-card-header:empty { display: none; }
-.edgeever-card-avatar {
-  display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; width: ${px(24)}; height: ${px(24)};
-  flex-shrink: 0; border-radius: 50%; background: ${cfg.isDark ? "rgba(255,255,255,0.05)" : "rgba(0,0,0,0.04)"};
-  color: var(--ee-meta); font: 500 ${px(12)} / 1 ${NOTE_IMAGE_FONT_FAMILIES.sans};
-}
 .edgeever-card-date,
 .edgeever-card-meta {
   display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; gap: ${px(4)} ${px(12)};