What a signature is and why you need one
A signature in Outlook is a block of text that appears automatically at the bottom of every email you send. It typically contains your name, job title, phone number, and sometimes your company address or website. Once you set it up, you never have to type it again — Outlook adds it for you.
A signature serves two purposes. First, it gives the person reading your email your contact details without you having to type them each time. Second, it makes your emails look professional and complete, especially if you use Outlook for work. A missing signature can make a message feel rushed or incomplete, even if the content is solid.
The process takes about five minutes and works the same way whether you use Outlook on Windows, Mac, or the web version.
Key Takeaways
- You create a signature in Outlook by going to File, then Options, then Mail, then Signatures — the path is the same on Windows and Mac.
- You can create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each email, or set one to appear automatically on all outgoing messages.
- A signature can include text, your contact details, and even a small image like a company logo, but keep it short so it does not overwhelm the message.
- If you use multiple email accounts in Outlook, you can set a different signature for each account.
Creating a signature on Outlook for Windows
Open Outlook and look at the top left of the window. Click File, then scroll down and click Options. A new window will open. On the left side, click Mail. You should now see a list of options on the right. Scroll down until you see Signatures and click it.
You are now in the Signatures window. Click the New button. Outlook will ask you to name your signature — you can call it something straightforward like "Work" or "Professional" or just leave the default name. Click OK. A text box will appear below where it says "Edit signature". This is where you type your signature text.
Type your name, job title, phone number, and any other information you want to include. Keep it to three or four lines — longer signatures can look cluttered. When you are done typing, look at the bottom of the window. You should see a dropdown that says "Choose default signature". Click it and select your new signature. This tells Outlook to add it automatically to every new email you send.
Click OK at the bottom right to save your changes. The next time you write a new email, your signature will appear at the bottom automatically.
Creating a signature on Outlook for Mac
Open Outlook and click Outlook in the menu bar at the very top of your screen. Click Preferences. A window will open. Look for Signatures and click it. You should see a list of your email accounts on the left and a large text box on the right.
Click the plus sign at the bottom left to create a new signature. Outlook will ask you to name it — use something straightforward like "Work". Click Create. Now type your signature in the text box on the right. Include your name, title, phone number, and any other details you want people to see.
Below the text box, you will see a dropdown menu next to your email account name. Click it and select your new signature. This sets it as the default for that account. Close the Preferences window. Your signature will now appear on all new emails from that account.
Creating a signature in Outlook on the web
If you use Outlook through a web browser instead of the desktop app, the process is slightly different. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen. Click View all Outlook settings. On the left side, click Mail, then click Compose and reply.
Scroll down until you see the section labeled Email signature. Click in the text box and type your signature. You can include your name, title, phone number, and website. When you are done, scroll to the bottom and click Save. Your signature will now appear on every email you send from the web version.
Adding an image or logo to your signature
You can add a small image like a company logo to your signature, but keep it small — no larger than 100 pixels wide. On Windows, open the Signatures window again (File > Options > Mail > Signatures). Click in the signature text box where you want the image to appear. Click the Insert tab at the top, then click Pictures. Find your image file and click Insert.
On Mac, the process is similar. Open Preferences > Signatures, click in your signature text box, then use the menu at the top to insert an image. On the web version, click in the signature text box, then look for an image icon in the formatting toolbar and click it to upload a file.
Images make signatures look more professional, but they also make emails larger. If you send a lot of emails, a text-only signature is usually better because it loads faster and takes up less space in your recipient's inbox.
Setting different signatures for different accounts
If you have multiple email accounts set up in Outlook, you can use a different signature for each one. On Windows, go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures. Create a new signature for each account. Then, in the "Choose default signature" dropdown, select which signature goes with which account.
On Mac, open Preferences > Signatures. You will see your email accounts listed on the left. Click each account and set a different signature for it using the dropdown menu below the text box. On the web, you can only set one signature, and it will appear on all emails from that account.
This is useful if you have a work email and a personal email. Your work signature might include your job title and company phone number, while your personal signature might just be your name and a website.
Editing or removing a signature
To change a signature you have already created, go back to the Signatures window (File > Options > Mail > Signatures on Windows, or Preferences > Signatures on Mac). Click the signature you want to edit in the list on the left. The text will appear in the box on the right. Make your changes and click OK or Save.
To remove a signature, click it in the list and click the Delete button. Outlook will ask you to confirm. If that signature was set as your default, Outlook will stop adding it to new emails. You can create a new one at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my signature not appear on replies and forwarded emails?
By default, Outlook only adds your signature to new emails, not to replies or forwarded messages. To change this, go to Signatures and look for a checkbox that says "Add signatures to all outgoing messages" or similar wording. Check that box and click OK.
Can I use different signatures for different recipients?
Outlook does not have a built-in way to choose a signature based on who you are emailing. You can create multiple signatures and manually select which one to use each time you send an email, but you cannot automate it based on the recipient.
What if I want no signature on a particular email?
When you compose an email, your signature will appear at the bottom automatically. You can delete it by selecting the text and pressing Delete. Outlook will not add it back unless you send the email and then open it again.
Can I use formatting like bold or italics in my signature?
Yes. In the signature text box, highlight the text you want to format and use the formatting buttons in the toolbar — Bold, Italic, Underline, and so on. The formatting will be preserved when the signature appears in your emails.
Does my signature appear the same way to everyone who receives my email?
Usually yes, but it depends on how the recipient reads email. If they use Outlook or another email client that supports formatting, your signature will look as you designed it. If they use a very basic email reader or view your email as plain text, some formatting may not show up.