Where to find your signature settings

Your Gmail signature lives in Settings, not in the compose window. Open Gmail in a web browser, click the gear icon in the top right corner, then select See all settings. Scroll down until you see the Signature section — it appears below the "Labels" tab and above "Forwarding and POP/IMAP".

This is the only place where Gmail lets you create or change a signature that will automatically appear on every email you send. The signature you set here will show up at the bottom of messages whether you're composing on a computer or phone, as long as you're using the Gmail website (not the mobile app, which has its own separate signature setting).

Key Takeaways

  • Your Gmail signature is stored in Settings under the Signature section, not in the compose window.
  • You can create one signature for your main account or set up different signatures for each email address if you manage multiple accounts in Gmail.
  • The signature appears automatically on every email you send, but you can turn it off for individual messages while composing.
  • Changes to your signature take effect when ready on all new emails, but do not change signatures on messages you have already sent.

Creating a new signature from scratch

In the Signature section, you will see a text box labeled with your email address. Click inside the box and type whatever you want to appear at the bottom of your emails — your name, job title, phone number, website, or any combination of these. Gmail lets you format the text using the toolbar above the box: you can make text bold or italic, change the color, add links, or adjust the font size.

If you manage multiple email addresses through one Gmail account, you will see a separate signature box for each address. This means you can have a professional signature on your work email and a casual one on your personal account, and Gmail will use the correct signature depending on which address you send from. Once you have typed or pasted your signature, scroll down and click Save Changes.

Replacing an existing signature

If you already have a signature set up and want to change it, click in the signature box and select all the text (Ctrl+A on Windows, Command+A on Mac). Delete it, then type or paste your new signature. You can keep parts of the old one if you want — just edit around what you are keeping rather than deleting everything.

If you want to remove your signature entirely, delete all the text in the box and leave it blank, then save. Your emails will no longer have a signature at the bottom. You can always add one back later by following the same steps.

Turning your signature off for a single email

Once you have set a signature, it appears automatically on every message you compose. If you need to send one email without a signature, open the compose window and look for the three-dot menu icon in the bottom right corner of the compose box. Click it and select Toggle signature. The signature will disappear from that one email, but it will come back on your next message.

This is useful when you are forwarding something that should not have your contact information attached, or when you are sending a quick internal message where a full signature would be unnecessary. The toggle only affects the current email — it does not change your signature settings for future messages.

Adding links, images, or special formatting

The toolbar above the signature text box lets you do more than just change font size and color. You can insert a hyperlink by clicking the link icon, typing the web address, and choosing what text should appear clickable. You can also paste an image directly into the signature box — Gmail will resize it to fit, though very large images may look cramped at the bottom of an email.

Keep in mind that some email clients (especially older ones or those on phones) may not display special formatting the way you see it in Gmail. Bold text usually comes through fine, but colored text or images sometimes appear differently or not at all on the recipient's end. Test your signature by sending yourself an email and opening it in different email programs if you are using advanced formatting.

Signature settings on the Gmail mobile app

The Gmail mobile app for iPhone and Android has its own separate signature setting that does not sync with the web version. If you want a signature on emails sent from your phone, you need to set it up in the app itself. Open Gmail on your phone, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll down to Settings, select your email address, and look for Signature. Type your signature there and save.

This means you could have one signature on emails sent from your computer and a different one on emails sent from your phone if you want. Many people use a shorter signature on mobile since phone screens are smaller. If you want the same signature everywhere, you will need to enter it in both places — the web Settings and the mobile app.

Troubleshooting signatures that do not appear

If you set a signature but it is not showing up on your emails, first check that you actually clicked Save Changes at the bottom of the Settings page. Changes do not take effect until you save. If you did save and the signature still is not there, try refreshing the page or closing and reopening Gmail.

If you are composing on the mobile app, remember that the app has its own signature setting separate from the web version. A signature set on the website will not automatically appear on emails sent from your phone. Also check whether you accidentally toggled the signature off for that particular email using the three-dot menu in the compose box.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different signatures for different types of emails?

Gmail does not have a built-in way to use different signatures based on who you are emailing or what the subject is. However, if you manage multiple email addresses in one account, you can set a different signature for each address. You can also manually delete or edit your signature before sending any individual email.

Will my signature appear on emails I forward or reply to?

Yes, your signature will appear at the bottom of replies and forwards unless you toggle it off using the three-dot menu in the compose box. Some people prefer to remove the signature from forwards to keep the email shorter, while others leave it on. The choice is yours for each message.

What happens to my signature if I change my Gmail password?

Your signature is not affected by password changes. It stays exactly as you set it and will continue to appear on all your emails. Changing your password only affects how you log into Gmail, not any of your account settings or signatures.

Can I use HTML code or special characters in my signature?

Gmail's signature box does not accept raw HTML code — it will display the code as plain text rather than formatting it. However, you can use the formatting toolbar to create most effects you would want (bold, italic, colors, links). Special characters like © or — can be typed or pasted directly into the signature box and will display correctly.

Does my signature count toward my email storage limit?

No, signatures do not use any of your Gmail storage. They are stored separately as part of your account settings. You can have a very long signature without worrying about it taking up space in your mailbox.