Your Gmail signature is the block of text that appears at the bottom of every email you send

To edit it, open Gmail, click the gear icon in the top right, select "See all settings," then go to the "Signature" tab. You can add, change, or remove your signature there. The changes take effect when ready on all new emails you compose.

A signature is useful for including your name, phone number, job title, or a standard closing line. It saves you from typing the same information into every message. You can also create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each email, or set a default one that appears automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Gmail signature appears at the bottom of every email you send and is set in the Settings menu under the Signature tab.
  • You can create multiple signatures and pick which one to use for each email, or set one as your default.
  • Signatures can include text, links, and images, but keep them short so they do not clutter your messages.
  • If you share a Gmail account with others, each person can have their own signature by using different email addresses or accounts.

How to add a signature for the first time

Open Gmail and click the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen. A dropdown menu will appear. Select "See all settings" at the bottom of that menu.

In the Settings page, click the "Signature" tab. You will see a text box labeled "Create new." Type or paste your signature text directly into that box. You can write anything you want — your name, title, phone number, a closing phrase, or all of these together.

Scroll down and click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page. Your signature is now active and will appear on every new email you send from that moment forward.

How to edit or remove an existing signature

Go to Settings the same way: gear icon, then "See all settings," then the "Signature" tab. You will see your current signature in the text box.

Click inside the box and edit the text however you want — add words, delete words, change the format. You can also delete the entire signature by selecting all the text and pressing Delete or Backspace. Once the box is empty, your emails will no longer include a signature.

Click "Save Changes" when you are done. The new version takes effect on your next email.

Creating multiple signatures and choosing which one to use

If you want different signatures for different purposes, you can create more than one. In the Signature tab, look for the "Create new" button or link. Click it to add a second signature. Give it a name in the small field that appears — for example, "Work" or "Personal" — then type the signature text below.

Click "Save Changes." Now you have two signatures stored. When you compose a new email, a dropdown menu will appear near the bottom of the compose window that lets you pick which signature to use. If you want one signature to appear by default on all emails, go back to Settings, find the "Default signature" dropdown, and select the one you want.

What you can include in a signature

Gmail signatures accept plain text, links, and images. You can type your name and contact details directly. To add a link, highlight the text you want to link, click the link icon in the compose toolbar, and paste the web address.

To add an image, click the image icon in the signature text box and upload a file from your computer. Keep images small — a logo or headshot works better than a large banner. Signatures that are too long or cluttered can make your emails harder to read, especially on phones.

Signature settings for shared accounts

If multiple people use the same Gmail account, they will all see the same signature by default. The best solution is for each person to have their own Gmail account. If that is not possible, you can add a note at the top of your emails saying who wrote it, but this is less reliable than having separate accounts.

If you manage a team account and want different signatures for different people, consider setting up separate Gmail accounts for each team member instead. This also makes it easier to track who sent what and keeps personal and work emails separate.

Signature does not appear on replies or forwarded emails

By default, your signature only appears on new emails you compose. When you reply to someone or forward a message, the signature does not automatically add itself to the bottom. This is intentional — it keeps reply chains from getting too long.

If you want your signature on a reply, you can add it manually by typing it in, or you can change this setting in the Signature tab. Look for the option "Insert signature before quoted text in replies and all messages" and check that box if you want signatures on everything. Most people leave this unchecked to keep emails cleaner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different signatures for different email addresses in the same Gmail account?

Gmail allows you to add multiple email addresses (called "Send mail as") to one account, and you can set a different signature for each one. In Settings, go to "Accounts and Import," then "Send mail as," and add your other email addresses. Then in the Signature tab, you can create a signature for each address.

What if my signature is not showing up on my emails?

Check that you saved your changes — click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the Signature tab. Also check that you are composing a new email, not replying to one, since signatures do not appear on replies by default. If you still do not see it, try refreshing the page or logging out and back in.

Can I format my signature with bold, italics, or colors?

Yes. In the signature text box, you will see formatting buttons above the text area — Bold, Italic, Underline, and more. Highlight the text you want to format and click the button. You can also change text color by clicking the "A" with a colored line underneath it.

Is my signature visible to everyone who receives my email?

Yes. Your signature appears in every email you send, and the person who receives it will see exactly what you typed. They will see the text, links, images, and formatting. Keep this in mind if your signature contains personal information or links you only want certain people to see.