What a Gmail signature is and why you need one

A Gmail signature is a block of text that appears at the bottom of every email you send. It typically contains your name, job title, phone number, and company details — information you would otherwise type out by hand each time. Gmail lets you create this once and attach it automatically to all outgoing messages.

The signature saves you typing and makes your emails look professional. It also gives people a way to reach you outside email without them having to scroll back through your message thread to find your contact details. You can create multiple signatures if you need different ones for work and personal accounts, or for different roles within the same account.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail signatures are created in Settings under the Signature section, and you can make as many as you want.
  • You can format your signature with bold text, links, and line breaks using the built-in text editor.
  • If you have multiple email addresses in one Gmail account, you can set a different signature for each one.
  • Once created, you can choose whether the signature appears on all emails or only on new messages, not replies.

How to open Gmail Settings and find the Signature section

Open Gmail in your web browser and 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. This opens the full Settings page.

Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab at the top. Scroll down until you see the Signature

Creating your first signature

In the Signature section, you will see a radio button next to No signature. Click the empty radio button next to it to create a new signature. A text box appears below where you can type.

Type the text you want in your signature. Start with your full name, then add your job title, company name, phone number, or any other details you want people to see. Press Enter to create line breaks between pieces of information. Do not worry about formatting yet — you can add that in the next step.

Once you have typed the content, look for the formatting toolbar above the text box. You can make text bold by selecting it and clicking the B button, or add a link by selecting text and clicking the link icon. These tools work the same way as they do in the email compose window.

Setting your signature to appear on all emails or only new messages

Below the signature text box, you will see two checkboxes. The first one says Insert signature before quoted text in replies and forwards. Check this box if you want your signature to appear above the original message when you reply to someone. Leave it unchecked if you prefer the signature to appear at the very bottom, after all the quoted text.

The second checkbox says Insert this signature before my message in new emails. This controls whether the signature shows up automatically when you start a new email. Most people check this box so they do not have to add it by hand each time. If you leave it unchecked, you can still add the signature manually from a dropdown menu when composing.

Creating multiple signatures for different email addresses

If your Gmail account has multiple email addresses — for example, both a work address and a personal address — you can create a different signature for each one. At the very top of the Signature section, you will see a dropdown menu that says Gmail address. Click it to see all the email addresses attached to your account.

Select the first address, create its signature using the steps above, then save. Go back to the dropdown and select the second address. Create a different signature for that one. Now when you compose an email, Gmail will automatically use the correct signature based on which address you are sending from.

If you have only one email address, this dropdown will not appear, and you can skip this step.

Saving your signature and testing it

After you have typed your signature and chosen your formatting options, scroll to the very bottom of the Settings page and click the Save Changes button. Gmail will save your signature and return you to the main Settings page.

To test that it works, go back to your inbox and click Compose to start a new email. Your signature should appear at the bottom of the compose window automatically. If it does not, go back to Settings and check that you have the Insert this signature before my message in new emails checkbox marked.

Editing or removing a signature

To change your signature later, go back to Settings, click Forwarding and POP/IMAP, and find the Signature section. Click in the text box and edit the text the same way you would edit any other text. You can add or remove lines, change formatting, or rewrite it completely. Click Save Changes at the bottom when you are done.

To remove the signature entirely, click the radio button next to No signature and then click Save Changes. This turns off the signature without deleting it. If you create a new signature later, you can always turn it back on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add an image or logo to my signature?

The web version of Gmail does not let you insert images directly into a signature through the Settings page. However, you can add a link to an image or include an image in your signature by using HTML code if you are comfortable with it. The easiest workaround is to add the image manually to each email, or to use a third-party tool that extends Gmail's signature features.

What if my signature does not appear on emails I send?

Check that you have the Insert this signature before my message in new emails checkbox marked in Settings. Also make sure you clicked Save Changes at the bottom of the page — Settings do not save automatically. If you are replying to an email, the signature may not appear unless you also checked the box for Insert signature before quoted text in replies and forwards.

Can I use different signatures for different types of emails?

Gmail does not have a built-in way to choose different signatures based on who you are emailing or what the email is about. However, if you have multiple email addresses in your account, you can create a different signature for each address and send from the appropriate one. Otherwise, you would need to manually edit the signature for individual emails.

Does my signature appear the same way on phones and computers?

Your signature text appears the same on all devices, but formatting like bold or colored text may not display correctly on older phones or in some email clients. Stick to plain text and links if you want your signature to look the same everywhere. Test it by sending yourself an email and opening it on your phone.