A signature is a block of text that appears at the bottom of every email you send
An Outlook signature is text, images, or contact details that automatically attach to the end of your messages. You set it up once in your settings, and it appears on every email you send from that account — you do not have to type it each time. A signature typically includes your name, job title, phone number, and sometimes a company logo or website.
Creating a signature takes about five minutes and works the same way whether you use Outlook on your computer, your phone, or the web version. The steps differ slightly depending on which version you have, but the basic idea is the same: go to settings, write or paste your signature text, and choose whether it appears on new emails, replies, or both.
Key Takeaways
- Outlook signatures appear automatically at the bottom of every email you send, so you only set them up once.
- On Windows or Mac, go to File > Options (or Outlook > Preferences), then Mail > Signatures to create one.
- On Outlook.com or the web, go to Settings > Mail > Compose and reply to add your signature.
- You can create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each email, or set a default that appears on everything.
- A professional signature should include your name, title, and contact information, but keep it short — most people scan emails quickly.
How to create a signature on Windows Outlook
Open Outlook and go to File in the top left corner. Click Options, then select Mail from the left sidebar. Look for Signatures and click it.
Click the New button and give your signature a name — something like "Work" or "Professional" so you can tell it apart if you create more than one. Type or paste your signature text into the large box. You can include your name, title, phone number, email address, company name, and website. Keep it to four or five lines; longer signatures can look cluttered and take up space in email threads.
At the bottom of the window, you will see two dropdown menus. The first asks which signature to use for new messages; the second asks which to use for replies and forwards. You can set them to the same signature or choose different ones. Click OK to save.
How to create a signature on Mac Outlook
Open Outlook and go to Outlook in the top menu bar. Click Preferences, then select Signatures from the list.
Click the + button at the bottom left to create a new signature. Give it a name, then type or paste your text into the box on the right. Choose which email account this signature belongs to from the dropdown on the left — if you have multiple email accounts in Outlook, you can set different signatures for each one.
Once you have written your signature, drag it onto the account name on the left to set it as the default. If you want different signatures for new messages versus replies, you can set those separately. Click the close button when you are done.
How to create a signature on Outlook.com or web Outlook
Go to Settings in the top right corner (the gear icon). Click View all Outlook settings, then select Mail from the left sidebar. Look for Compose and reply and click it.
Scroll down until you see the Email signature section. Type or paste your signature text into the box. You can format it with bold, italics, or links if you want — the toolbar above the text box has basic formatting options. Check the box next to Automatically include my signature on messages I send to make it appear on every email. Click Save at the bottom of the page.
What to include in your signature and what to leave out
A professional signature should have your full name, job title, and at least one way to reach you — usually a phone number or email address. If you work for a company, include the company name. A website or LinkedIn profile is optional but can be useful if you want people to learn more about you.
Do not include personal information like your home address, birthday, or social media accounts unless your workplace requires it. Avoid large images or logos that make your email file size huge — if you do use an image, keep it under 100 kilobytes. Do not include disclaimers like "This email is confidential" unless your company's legal team requires it; most people ignore them and they make emails longer.
Keep your signature to four or five lines of text. Longer signatures can annoy people, especially in email threads where the same signature appears multiple times as people reply back and forth.
How to use different signatures for different purposes
Outlook lets you create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each email. This is useful if you have more than one job, manage multiple email accounts, or want a casual signature for some emails and a formal one for others.
Create each signature the same way you created your first one — give it a different name so you can tell them apart. When you write a new email, look for a signature dropdown menu. On Windows Outlook, it is usually in the Insert tab at the top. On Mac, it is in the Message menu. On Outlook.com, you can change your signature in the compose window before you send. Select the signature you want, and it will appear at the bottom of that email.
Troubleshooting: signature not appearing on emails
If you created a signature but it is not showing up on your emails, check that you set it as the default. Go back to your signature settings and make sure the signature is assigned to your email account and set to appear on new messages. On Windows, this is in the dropdown menu at the bottom of the Signatures window. On Mac, drag the signature onto your account name. On Outlook.com, make sure the checkbox next to "Automatically include my signature" is checked.
If your signature appears on new emails but not on replies, you may have set different signatures for each. Go back to settings and make sure both dropdowns (new messages and replies) are set to the same signature, or choose different ones if that is what you intended.
On mobile Outlook, signatures do not always appear automatically — you may need to add them manually or use a different email app. Check your phone's Outlook settings under Mail > Signature to see if there is an option to turn it on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an image or logo in my signature?
Yes. On Windows and Mac Outlook, go to your signature settings and click the image icon to insert a picture. On Outlook.com, you can paste an image directly into the signature box. Keep images small — under 100 kilobytes — so your emails do not take too long to send or read. Logos work better than photos.
What if I have multiple email accounts in Outlook?
You can set a different signature for each account. Create your signatures, then assign each one to the correct account in your signature settings. On Windows, use the dropdown menu next to each account name. On Mac, drag each signature onto the account it belongs to.
Can I change my signature after I send an email?
No. Once an email is sent, you cannot edit it or its signature. If you need to change your signature for future emails, update it in your settings, and the new version will appear on all emails you send from that point forward.
Do signatures appear the same way on everyone's phone or computer?
Usually, but not always. Formatting like bold, italics, or colors may look different depending on what email app the person uses to read your message. Stick to plain text and standard fonts to make sure your signature looks professional no matter how someone reads it.
Can I add a link to my website in my signature?
Yes. On Windows and Mac, highlight the text you want to turn into a link, right-click, and select "Hyperlink." On Outlook.com, highlight the text and click the link icon in the formatting toolbar. Paste your website URL and click OK.