Add a signature in Outlook on the web

Open Outlook in your web browser and select the gear icon in the top right corner. Choose View all Outlook settings, then go to Mail > Compose and reply. Scroll down to the Email signature section and type or paste your signature text into the box.

You can format your signature with bold, italics, or links using the toolbar above the text box. Once you finish, select Save at the bottom of the page. Your signature will now appear automatically on every new email you send, though it won't show on replies unless you check the box for Automatically include my signature on messages I send.

If you want different signatures for different email accounts (if you have multiple), create each one separately in its own account's settings. Outlook on the web lets you set only one signature per account, so you cannot choose between multiple signatures for a single account.

Add a signature in Outlook desktop process

In Outlook for Windows or Mac, go to File > Options (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences (Mac). Select Mail, then Signatures. Click the + button to create a new signature and give it a name.

Type your signature in the text box. You can use the formatting buttons to add bold, italics, colors, or links. When you finish, click OK to save. The next time you compose a new email, your signature will appear at the bottom automatically.

In the desktop app, you can create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each email. After you create more than one, go back to Signatures and set a default signature under Choose default signature. When you compose a new message, you can click inside the signature area and swap it for a different one from the dropdown menu.

Key Takeaways

  • In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Compose and reply > Email signature to add your signature text.
  • In the Outlook desktop app, open File > Options (or Preferences on Mac) > Mail > Signatures to create and manage signatures.
  • You can format signatures with bold, italics, colors, and links using the built-in toolbar in both versions.
  • The desktop app lets you create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each email, while the web version uses one signature per account.
  • New emails will include your signature automatically, but replies may not unless you turn on that setting in the web version.

What to include in your signature

A professional signature typically includes your full name, job title, company name, phone number, and email address. You can also add your company website, mailing address, or social media links if they are relevant to your work.

Keep your signature concise — three to five lines is standard. Avoid large images or excessive formatting, as these can slow down email delivery or look broken on some devices. If you work in a regulated industry like law or finance, check whether your company has signature requirements you need to follow.

Add an image or logo to your signature

In Outlook on the web, you cannot insert images directly into the signature editor. Instead, type your signature text, then copy and paste it into an email draft where you can add an image above or below the text. This workaround is not ideal for regular use.

In the Outlook desktop app, you can insert an image into your signature. In the Signatures window, click where you want the image to appear in your signature text, then select Insert > Image. Choose your file and click Insert. The image will appear in your signature on every email you send.

Keep image file sizes small — under 100 KB is best — so your emails send quickly. Test your signature on a few emails before relying on it for important messages, since images sometimes fail to load on older email clients or mobile devices.

Fix a signature that is not appearing

If your signature stopped showing up on new emails, check whether you turned off the automatic signature setting. In Outlook on the web, go back to Settings > Mail > Compose and reply and make sure Automatically include my signature on messages I send is checked.

In the desktop app, open File > Options (or Preferences) > Mail > Signatures and confirm that a signature is set as your default. If you have multiple signatures, the wrong one may be selected as the default.

If your signature still does not appear after checking these settings, try signing out and signing back into Outlook. Close the process completely, wait a few seconds, and reopen it. This often refreshes the signature settings and resolves the problem.

Use different signatures for different email accounts

If you have multiple email accounts in Outlook, you can set a different signature for each one. In Outlook on the web, switch to the account you want to customize by clicking your profile picture, then follow the signature steps for that account separately.

In the desktop app, create a signature for each account, then assign each one as the default for its account. Go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures, select the signature you created, and under Choose default signature, pick the account it should explore to from the dropdown menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a signature to replies and forwarded emails?

In Outlook on the web, replies and forwarded emails do not include your signature by default. Check the box for Automatically include my signature on messages I send in settings to add it to replies. In the desktop app, signatures appear on replies automatically unless you turn off that option in the signature settings.

What if I want to remove my signature?

In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Compose and reply and delete the text in the email signature box, then save. In the desktop app, open Signatures, select your signature, and click the − button to delete it.

Can I use HTML code in my signature?

Outlook on the web does not support direct HTML editing in the signature box. The desktop app accepts HTML if you paste it in, but you must switch to HTML editing mode first. Most users find the formatting toolbar easier than writing HTML by hand.

Why does my signature look different on mobile?

Mobile email clients sometimes render formatting, colors, and images differently than desktop versions. Test your signature on a phone or tablet before sending important emails. Keep signatures straightforward with plain text and standard formatting to avoid display problems across devices.

Can I schedule when my signature appears?

Outlook does not have a built-in feature to schedule signatures or change them automatically on certain dates. You can manually update your signature in settings whenever you need to change it, such as for seasonal messages or different projects.