A Gmail signature is text or an image that appears automatically at the bottom of every email you send
You add it once in Gmail settings, and it shows up on all your outgoing messages without you having to type it each time. A signature typically includes your name, job title, phone number, or a company logo — anything you want readers to see consistently.
Gmail lets you create one signature for all emails, or different signatures for different email accounts if you manage multiple addresses in the same inbox. You can format the text, add links, or insert images. The signature appears in both regular emails and replies.
Key Takeaways
- Open Gmail settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right, then select "See all settings" and go to the "Signatures" tab.
- Click "Create new" to add a signature, give it a name, type or paste your text, and use the formatting toolbar to adjust fonts, colors, and alignment.
- You can add clickable links, email addresses, or images to your signature using the toolbar buttons.
- Set which signature appears by default on new emails and replies, or choose a different one for each account if you have multiple Gmail addresses.
- Your signature will appear on all emails you send unless you manually delete it before hitting send.
Opening Gmail Settings and Finding the Signatures Tab
Start by opening Gmail in your web browser and signing in. Look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the page, next to your profile picture. Click it and select "See all settings" from the dropdown menu.
Once settings open, you will see several tabs across the top: General, Labels, Inbox, and others. Click the "Signatures" tab. If you do not see it when ready, scroll right through the tabs — it appears after "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" on most accounts.
Creating Your First Signature
In the Signatures section, you will see a button that says "Create new". Click it. Gmail will ask you to name your signature — this is just for your own reference, so you can tell signatures apart if you create more than one. Type something straightforward like "Work" or "Personal" or your full name.
Below the name field is a large text box. This is where you type or paste your signature content. Start with the basics: your name, title, company, phone number, or any other information you want to include. You do not need to format it yet — just get the words in.
Once you have typed your text, you can format it using the toolbar above the text box. The toolbar works like most email or document editors: you can make text bold or italic, change the font size, adjust the color, or align text left, center, or right.
Adding Links, Images, and Special Formatting
If you want to include a clickable link — such as your website, LinkedIn profile, or email address — highlight the text you want to turn into a link. Then click the link icon (it looks like a chain) in the toolbar. A box will pop up asking for the URL. Paste the web address and click "OK".
To add an image, such as a company logo, click the image icon in the toolbar (it looks like a small picture frame). You can upload an image from your computer, search Google Images, or paste a URL if you have one. Gmail will resize the image to fit your signature. Keep images small — large logos can make emails slow to load.
If you want to add a horizontal line to separate your signature from the email body, click the horizontal line icon in the toolbar. This is useful for making your signature visually distinct.
Setting Your Default Signature for New Emails and Replies
Below the text box where you created your signature, you will see dropdown menus labeled "Insert this signature before quoted text in replies" and "Use as default signature". These control when and where your signature appears.
For "Insert this signature before quoted text in replies", choose "Yes" if you want your signature to appear above the original email when you reply. Choose "No" if you prefer it to appear below. Most people choose "Yes" so their signature sits between their new message and the quoted text.
For "Use as default signature", select this signature from the dropdown if you want it to appear automatically on all new emails. If you have multiple Gmail accounts linked to the same inbox, you can set a different default signature for each account.
Creating Multiple Signatures for Different Purposes
If you manage more than one Gmail account or want different signatures for different types of emails, you can create as many as you need. Click "Create new" again and repeat the process. Name each one clearly — for example, "Work", "Personal", "Client Invoices", or "Newsletter".
When you compose a new email, a dropdown menu will appear at the bottom of the compose window showing all your available signatures. You can pick which one to use for that specific email, or let the default one appear automatically. If you do not want a signature on a particular email, you can delete it from the compose window before sending.
Editing or Removing a Signature
To change a signature you have already created, go back to Settings > Signatures. Find the signature in the list and click on it. Make your edits in the text box, adjust formatting as needed, and scroll down to save. Gmail saves your changes automatically once you leave the Signatures tab.
To remove a signature entirely, click on it in the Signatures list and then click the delete button (trash icon) at the bottom. If that signature was set as your default, Gmail will ask you to choose a new default before deleting it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different signatures for different email addresses in the same Gmail account?
Yes. If you have multiple email addresses linked to one Gmail inbox, go to Settings > Signatures and create a signature for each address. When composing an email, you can choose which address to send from, and the corresponding signature will appear automatically.
Why is my signature not showing up on emails I send?
Check that you have set a default signature in Settings > Signatures. If you created a signature but did not select "Use as default signature", it will not appear unless you manually add it to each email. Also check that the signature is not empty or contains only spaces.
Can I add a signature to emails I send from my phone?
The Gmail app on Android and iPhone does not let you create signatures directly in the app. You must create them in Gmail on the web using a computer or tablet browser. Once created, they will appear on emails sent from the mobile app.
What happens if I delete my signature after I have already sent emails with it?
Deleting a signature only affects new emails you send going forward. Emails you have already sent keep the signature they had when you sent them — deleting the signature does not change those old messages.
Can I include HTML code or special formatting in my signature?
Gmail's signature editor does not support raw HTML code. Use the formatting toolbar instead to adjust fonts, colors, links, and images. If you need advanced formatting, you can create the signature in a document editor, take a screenshot, and insert it as an image.