Add a signature in three steps
A signature in Outlook is a block of text that appears automatically at the bottom of every email you send. It usually contains your name, title, phone number, or any other information you want readers to see. You set it up once in your settings, and Outlook adds it to every new message without you having to type it again.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Outlook on the web, Outlook on Windows, or Outlook on Mac. All three routes take less than five minutes.
Key Takeaways
- A signature is text that Outlook automatically adds to the bottom of your emails, and you control what it says and when it appears.
- On Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Compose and reply, then paste your signature text into the Email signature field.
- On Outlook for Windows, open File > Options > Mail > Signatures, create a new signature, and choose which accounts use it.
- You can set different signatures for new messages and replies, or turn signatures off for specific emails if you need to.
- Signatures can include text, line breaks, and links, but not images or special formatting in all versions of Outlook.
Setting up a signature in Outlook on the web
Open Outlook in your web browser and select the gear icon in the top right corner. Click View all Outlook settings, then choose Mail from the left menu. Look for Compose and reply and click it to expand that section.
You will see a field labeled Email signature. Type or paste the text you want to appear at the bottom of your emails. You can use line breaks and basic formatting like bold or italics. When you are done, scroll down and click Save at the bottom of the page. Your signature will appear on all new emails you send from that account.
Setting up a signature in Outlook for Windows
Open Outlook on your computer and go to File in the top left. Select Options, then click Mail in the left sidebar. Find and click Signatures near the bottom of the Mail options.
Click the New button and give your signature a name (for example, "Work" or "Professional"). Type your signature text in the large box on the right side of the window. You can create multiple signatures if you want different ones for different purposes. When you finish, click OK at the bottom of the window.
After you create a signature, you need to tell Outlook which account should use it. In the same Signatures window, look for the dropdown menu under Choose default signature. Select your email account and choose which signature to use for new messages and which to use for replies. Click OK again to save.
Setting up a signature in Outlook for Mac
Open Outlook and click Outlook in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Select Preferences, then click Signatures. Click the + button at the bottom left to create a new signature and give it a name.
Type your signature text in the box on the right. Below that, you will see a dropdown menu for each email account. Select your account and choose which signature to use for new messages and replies. Close the Preferences window when you are done, and your signature will appear on all new emails.
What you can and cannot include in a signature
Most versions of Outlook accept plain text, line breaks, and basic formatting like bold, italics, and underlines. You can also include links — just paste the full web address (for example, www.example.com) and Outlook will usually turn it into a clickable link automatically.
Images, logos, and special formatting do not work the same way across all versions of Outlook. If you need a logo or image in your signature, Outlook for Windows and Mac support this better than Outlook on the web. Check your version's documentation or test your signature by sending yourself an email to see how it looks on different devices.
Using different signatures for different situations
You can set one signature for new messages and a different one for replies and forwards. This is useful if you want a full signature with contact details on new emails but a shorter version on replies. In the Signatures window (Windows) or Preferences (Mac), you will see separate dropdown menus for "New messages" and "Replies and forwards" — set each one independently.
You can also turn off your signature for a single email if you need to. When you are composing a message, look for your signature at the bottom. Highlight it and delete it, then send the email as normal. Your signature will still appear on the next email you write.
Editing or removing a signature
To change your signature, go back to the same place you created it: Settings > Mail > Compose and reply (web), File > Options > Mail > Signatures (Windows), or Outlook > Preferences > Signatures (Mac). Find the signature you want to edit, change the text, and save your changes.
To remove a signature entirely, delete all the text in the signature field and save, or select the signature and click the Delete button (Windows and Mac). Outlook will stop adding it to your emails when ready, but you can create a new one anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have multiple signatures for different email accounts?
Yes. In Outlook for Windows and Mac, create separate signatures and assign each one to a different account in the Signatures settings. On Outlook on the web, each account has its own settings, so you can set a different signature for each one by signing out and back in to each account.
Why is my signature not showing up on emails I send?
Check that you assigned the signature to your email account in the Signatures settings. On the web, make sure you clicked Save after entering your signature text. If you deleted the signature from a single email, it will still appear on your next message — that is normal.
Can I add my company logo to my signature?
Outlook for Windows and Mac support images in signatures, but Outlook on the web does not. If you use the web version, you can only use text. For Windows or Mac, right-click in the signature box and look for an Insert or Image option, depending on your version.
What happens if I change my signature after I have already sent emails?
Only new emails you send will have the updated signature. Emails you already sent will keep the old signature they had when you sent them. Outlook does not change the signature on past emails.
Can I set a signature that only appears on replies, not new messages?
Yes. In the Signatures settings, set your "New messages" signature to blank or none, and set your "Replies and forwards" signature to the text you want. This way, only replies will have a signature.