Add a signature in three steps

A Gmail signature appears at the bottom of every email you send. To add one, open Gmail, click the gear icon in the top right, select See all settings, then click the Signature tab. Type or paste your signature text in the box, click Save Changes at the bottom of the page, and you're done. The signature will appear automatically on all new emails you compose.

You can include your name, job title, phone number, website, or any other text you want readers to see. Gmail lets you format the signature with bold, italics, links, and images — though keeping it straightforward and professional works best for most people.

Key Takeaways

  • Your signature appears at the bottom of every outgoing email once you save it in Gmail settings.
  • You can format your signature with bold text, italics, links, and images using the toolbar above the text box.
  • Gmail lets you create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each email if you manage more than one account or role.
  • Your signature does not appear in drafts or replies unless you turn on the option to include it in replies.

Where to find the signature settings

Open Gmail in your web browser and look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen, next to your profile picture. Click it and select See all settings from the dropdown menu. This opens the full settings page. Click the Signature tab near the top — it sits between the Labels and Forwarding and POP/IMAP tabs.

If you have multiple Gmail accounts, the settings page shows which account you're editing at the very top. Make sure you're in the right account before you add or change a signature, because each account has its own separate signature settings.

What to include in your signature

A basic signature includes your name and one way to reach you — usually an email address, phone number, or website. Many people add their job title or company name. Keep it to four or five lines; longer signatures can look cluttered and take up space in every email thread.

Avoid including information you don't want to share publicly, since your signature appears in every email you send. If you're unsure whether to include your phone number, remember that anyone who receives your email can see it. Some people use a work phone only, or leave the phone number out entirely and let people reply by email instead.

Format your signature with text styling

Above the signature text box, you'll see a toolbar with formatting options. Highlight any text in your signature and click Bold, Italic, or Underline to change how it looks. You can also change the text color, font size, or font type using the dropdown menus on the toolbar.

To add a link, highlight the text you want to turn into a link, click the link icon (it looks like a chain), and paste the web address. To add an image, click the image icon on the toolbar, upload a file from your computer, and it will appear in your signature. Most people keep images small — a logo or headshot works better than a large banner.

Use different signatures for different accounts or purposes

If you manage multiple Gmail accounts or wear different roles, you can create more than one signature. In the Signature tab, look for the dropdown menu that says -- No signature -- at the top. Click it and select Create new. Give your new signature a name like "Work" or "Personal," then type the signature text below. Save your changes.

When you compose a new email, a dropdown menu appears near the bottom of the compose window showing your available signatures. Click it and choose which signature you want to use for that email. If you only have one signature, it appears automatically and you won't see the dropdown.

Add your signature to replies and forwarded emails

By default, Gmail only adds your signature to new emails you write from scratch. If you want your signature to appear when you reply to someone or forward an email, go back to the Signature tab in settings and check the box that says Insert signature before quoted text. This puts your signature above the original message in replies, which is the standard format.

If you leave this box unchecked, your replies will not include your signature unless you manually add it. Some people prefer this because signatures can make reply threads longer, but adding them to replies helps the other person know how to reach you if they need to follow up later.

Troubleshoot if your signature isn't showing up

If you saved a signature but it's not appearing in your emails, first check that you actually clicked Save Changes at the bottom of the settings page. Changes don't take effect until you save them. Refresh your Gmail page and try composing a new email to see if the signature appears.

If you're using Gmail on your phone or tablet, signatures work differently — the mobile app doesn't always show the formatting options or let you edit signatures the same way the web version does. To add or change a signature, use Gmail in a web browser on a computer instead. If you've set a signature on the web, it will still appear in emails you send from the mobile app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different signatures for different email addresses?

Yes. If you have multiple Gmail accounts, each one has its own signature settings. Log into each account separately and add a different signature to each. When you switch between accounts in Gmail, the signature for that account will appear automatically in new emails.

Will my signature appear in emails I send from my phone?

Yes, if you set up the signature in Gmail's web settings first. The Gmail app on Android and iPhone will use the signature you created on your computer. You cannot edit signatures in the mobile app, so make any changes through the web version of Gmail.

Can I add an image or logo to my signature?

Yes. In the signature text box, click the image icon on the toolbar, then upload a file from your computer. Keep the image small — most people use a logo or headshot that's no more than 100 pixels wide so it doesn't make the signature too large.

What if I don't want a signature on one particular email?

When you compose the email, your signature will appear at the bottom automatically. You can highlight it and delete it before you send. The signature will still appear in your next email — deleting it from one message doesn't change your settings.

Does my signature appear in emails I save as drafts?

No. Signatures only appear in emails you actually send. If you save an email as a draft and come back to it later, the signature will be added when you finish composing and send it.