Your signature appears at the bottom of every email you send

Gmail lets you create, edit, or remove a signature that automatically adds text to the end of your messages. This signature can be your name, contact information, a job title, a quote, or anything else you want readers to see. You control whether it appears on all emails, replies only, or specific accounts if you use multiple Gmail addresses.

The signature settings live in Gmail's main preferences, and the process takes less than a minute once you know where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Gmail settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right, then select "See all settings".
  • Go to the "Signature" tab, create or edit your text, and click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page.
  • You can set different signatures for each Gmail account if you manage multiple addresses from one browser.
  • Gmail signatures support basic formatting like bold, italics, and links, but not images or complex layouts.

How to access Gmail signature settings

Start by opening Gmail in your web browser. In the top right corner, you'll see a gear icon. Click it and select "See all settings" from the dropdown menu that appears.

Once you're in Settings, look for the tab labeled "Signature" near the top of the page. It sits between the "Labels" and "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tabs. Click on it to open the signature editor.

Creating or editing your signature text

In the Signature section, you'll see a text box where you can type or paste your signature. If you already have a signature, it will appear here. Start typing to create a new one or edit the existing text.

Gmail's signature editor includes basic formatting buttons above the text box: you can make text bold, italic, underlined, or strikethrough. You can also change text color, add links, and create bulleted or numbered lists. Highlight the text you want to format, then click the button for the style you want.

Keep in mind that Gmail signatures cannot contain images, embedded videos, or complex layouts. If you need those elements, you'll have to add them manually to each email instead of using an automatic signature.

Choosing which emails get your signature

Below the text box, you'll see options for when your signature appears. By default, Gmail adds your signature to all new emails and replies. If you want to change this, you have two choices:

  • Insert signature before quoted text — Check this box if you want your signature to appear above the original message in replies, rather than below it. This is useful if you want readers to see your name before they scroll through the conversation history.
  • Signature for new emails only — Uncheck the main signature option if you want it to appear only on new messages you write, not on replies to existing threads.

Most people leave the default settings as they are, so your signature appears on everything you send.

Managing signatures for multiple Gmail accounts

If you use more than one Gmail address and access them all from the same browser, you can set a different signature for each account. At the top of the Signature section, you'll see a dropdown menu showing your current account. Click it to switch to another account, then create or edit that account's signature separately.

Each account's signature is stored independently, so changing one won't affect the others. This is helpful if you have a work Gmail address and a personal one, or if you manage accounts for different projects.

Saving your changes

After you've typed your signature and chosen your settings, scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and click the "Save Changes" button. Gmail will confirm that your settings have been saved.

Your signature will now appear automatically on all new emails you send, starting immediately. If you don't see it on your first test email, refresh the page or close and reopen Gmail.

Removing or temporarily disabling your signature

If you want to remove your signature entirely, go back to the Signature section and delete all the text from the box. Leave it blank and click "Save Changes." Your emails will no longer include an automatic signature.

If you want to keep your signature saved but skip it on a specific email, you can delete it manually from that message before sending. Just click in the signature area and select and delete the text. The signature will still appear on your next email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add an image or logo to my Gmail signature?

Gmail's web signature editor doesn't support images directly. However, you can insert an image by using Gmail's compose window — click the attachment icon while writing an email and add an image, then position it where you want. This won't create an automatic signature, so you'll need to do it for each email.

Why isn't my signature showing up on emails I send?

Make sure you clicked "Save Changes" at the bottom of the Settings page — the most common reason signatures don't appear is that changes weren't saved. Also check that you're looking at the right account if you manage multiple Gmail addresses. If you're using Gmail's mobile app, signatures may not display the same way as on the web version.

Can I have different signatures for different folders or labels?

Gmail doesn't offer built-in options to assign different signatures to different labels or folders. Your signature will be the same for all emails you send from that account. If you need different signatures for different purposes, you could create a separate Gmail account for each one.

What happens to my signature if I access Gmail on my phone?

The signature you create on the web version will appear on emails you send from the Gmail mobile app, though the formatting may look slightly different depending on your phone's screen size. You can also create a separate mobile signature in the app's settings if you want something different for phone-sent emails.