A signature is text that appears automatically at the bottom of every email you send

An email signature is a block of text, contact information, or branding that Outlook adds to the end of every message you send. It typically includes your name, job title, phone number, and company name — though you can include anything you want. Once you set it up, you do not have to type it into each email; Outlook inserts it for you.

Signatures save time if you send many emails, and they give recipients a consistent way to contact you or learn what you do. They also look more professional than signing off with just your first name.

Key Takeaways

  • You set up a signature once in Outlook settings, and it appears automatically on every new email you compose.
  • The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Outlook on your computer, Outlook on the web, or Outlook on your phone.
  • You can create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for different emails or accounts.
  • Signatures do not appear on emails you forward or reply to unless you tell Outlook to add them there too.

How to add a signature in Outlook on Windows or Mac

Open Outlook on your computer and go to File at the top left. Click Options (on Windows) or Preferences (on Mac). A settings window will open.

On Windows, look for Mail in the left sidebar and click it. Then click Signatures. On Mac, find Signatures in the sidebar directly. Either way, you will see a button that says New or a plus sign. Click it to create a new signature.

Type a name for your signature in the box that appears — something like "Work" or "Professional" so you can tell it apart if you make more than one. Then click in the large text box below and type the text you want to appear at the bottom of your emails. You can include line breaks by pressing Enter, and you can make text bold or italic using the formatting buttons above the text box.

When you are done typing, click OK or Save. Outlook will now add this signature to new emails automatically. If you want it to appear on replies and forwards too, look for a checkbox that says "Include signature on replies and forwards" and check it before you save.

How to add a signature in Outlook on the web

Go to Outlook.com or your organization's Outlook web address and sign in. Click the gear icon in the top right corner and select View all Outlook settings. In the left sidebar, click Mail, then scroll down and click Compose and reply.

You will see a large text box labeled Email signature. Type your signature text directly into this box. You can use the formatting buttons above it to make text bold, italic, or colored, and you can add links if you want. When you are finished, click Save at the bottom of the page.

Outlook on the web will add this signature to every new email you compose. Unlike the desktop version, the web version does not give you the option to add signatures to replies and forwards — it only adds them to new messages.

How to add a signature on Outlook mobile

Open Outlook on your phone and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Tap Settings, then tap your email account name. Scroll down to find Signature and tap it.

Type your signature text into the box that appears. Mobile Outlook has limited formatting options — you can usually only add plain text, though some phones let you make text bold or italic. When you are done, tap the back arrow or Done to save. Your signature will now appear on every new email you send from your phone.

What to include in a professional signature

A basic professional signature includes your full name, job title, company name, phone number, and email address. However, your email address is already visible to recipients, so many people leave it out. A typical signature might look like this:

Sarah Chen Marketing Manager Riverside Design Co. (555) 234-5678

You can also add a company website, a physical mailing address, or social media links if they are relevant to your work. Some organizations have branding guidelines that tell you what must be in your signature — if yours does, follow those guidelines. Keep it short; a signature longer than five or six lines can look cluttered and take up space in the recipient's inbox.

Creating multiple signatures for different purposes

If you have more than one email account in Outlook, or if you want different signatures for different situations, you can create as many signatures as you need. In the desktop version, the New button in the Signatures window lets you add another one. Give each signature a clear name so you can tell them apart.

Once you have multiple signatures, you can choose which one to use when you compose a new email. In the desktop version, look for a dropdown menu near the bottom of the compose window that says Signature and select the one you want. In Outlook on the web, you can only use one signature at a time, so you would have to change your default signature in settings if you want to switch.

Why your signature might not appear on replies or forwards

By default, Outlook does not add your signature to emails you reply to or forward — only to new messages you start from scratch. This is intentional, because adding your signature to every reply can make a conversation thread very long and hard to read. If you want your signature on replies and forwards anyway, you can change this in settings.

On the desktop version, go back to the Signatures window and check the box that says "Include signature on replies and forwards." On Outlook on the web, this option is not available — signatures only appear on new messages. If you are using Outlook mobile, signatures appear only on new messages as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a logo or image to my signature?

Yes, but the process differs by platform. In desktop Outlook, click the image icon in the Signatures window and select a file from your computer. In Outlook on the web, you can paste an image directly into the signature box. On mobile, most versions do not support images in signatures, though some Android phones may allow it through copy and paste.

What if I do not want a signature on a particular email?

In desktop Outlook, you can delete the signature text from the compose window before you send. In Outlook on the web, you would have to temporarily remove your signature from settings, send the email, and then add it back. On mobile, you can usually delete it from the message before sending as well.

Does my signature appear the same way to everyone who receives my email?

Mostly yes, but formatting can vary slightly depending on what email program the recipient uses. Bold text, colors, and fonts may not display the same way in every email client. Plain text signatures are the most reliable across different programs.

Can I use HTML code in my signature?

Desktop Outlook and Outlook on the web both allow HTML if you know how to write it, though this is usually only useful if you work in a technical role. Mobile Outlook does not support HTML code in signatures.

How do I remove a signature I no longer want?

In desktop Outlook, go back to the Signatures window, select the signature you want to delete, and click the Delete button. In Outlook on the web, clear all the text from the signature box and click Save. On mobile, delete the text and save the changes.