Add a signature in three steps

A signature in Gmail is a block of text that appears at the bottom of every email you send — usually your name, phone number, job title, or a closing line. Gmail adds it automatically once you set it up, so you do not have to type it each time.

Open Gmail in your web browser and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select See all settings. Scroll down to the Signature section, click Create new, give your signature a name (like "Work" or "Personal"), and type what you want to appear at the bottom of your emails. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Your signature will now appear on every new email you write. If you create more than one signature, Gmail lets you choose which one to use before you send each message.

Key Takeaways

  • Signatures are set up in Gmail Settings under the Signature section, not in your email compose window.
  • You can create multiple signatures and pick which one to use for each email you send.
  • Once saved, your signature appears automatically on all new messages unless you delete it from the compose box.
  • Signatures do not appear on emails you reply to unless you add them manually in the reply settings.

Where to find the signature settings

The signature section lives in Gmail Settings, which is separate from your inbox. Click the gear icon in the top right of your Gmail page — it sits next to your profile picture. A small menu will drop down with several options.

Select See all settings from that menu. This opens the full Settings page. You will see tabs across the top: General, Labels, Inbox, and others. Stay on the General tab and scroll down past several sections until you reach Signature. This is where you create and manage all your signatures.

Creating your first signature

In the Signature section, you will see a button that says Create new. Click it. A text box will appear asking you to name this signature — type something you will recognize, like "Work Signature" or "Personal." This name is only for you to see when you are choosing which signature to use; it does not appear in your emails.

Below the name field is a larger text box where you type the actual signature. Write whatever you want to appear at the bottom of your emails: your full name, your job title, your phone number, your company name, or a closing phrase like "Best regards." You can use line breaks to format it across multiple lines. Some people add their website, LinkedIn profile, or a short tagline.

Once you have typed your signature, scroll to the very bottom of the Settings page and click Save Changes. Gmail will confirm that your settings have been saved. Your signature is now active and will appear on every new email you send.

Using multiple signatures

If you have more than one Gmail account, or if you want different signatures for work and personal emails, you can create as many signatures as you need. Go back to Settings, find the Signature section, and click Create new again. Name it differently (like "Personal Signature") and type the text you want for that one. Save your changes.

When you write a new email, a dropdown menu will appear in the compose box that lets you pick which signature to use. If you do not select one, Gmail uses the first signature you created by default. You can change which signature is the default by going back to Settings and selecting it from the dropdown next to Default signature.

Editing or removing a signature

To change a signature you already created, go back to Settings and find the Signature section. Click directly on the signature text you want to edit, make your changes, and click Save Changes at the bottom of the page. The new version will appear on all emails you send from that point forward.

To delete a signature entirely, click the trash icon next to it in the Signature section. If that signature was your default, Gmail will automatically set another one as the default. You can always create a new signature later if you change your mind.

Why your signature might not appear

If you set up a signature but it does not show up on your emails, check a few things. First, make sure you actually clicked Save Changes at the bottom of the Settings page — many people type their signature and forget this step. Second, signatures only appear on new emails you write; they do not automatically add to emails you reply to or forward. If you want a signature on a reply, you have to add it manually or use a Gmail feature called Auto-reply for out-of-office messages.

Third, if you have multiple signatures, check that you selected the right one in the compose box before sending. The dropdown menu in the compose window shows which signature is attached to that specific email. If you do not see a dropdown at all, you may only have one signature created, and it will appear automatically.

Formatting your signature with links and styling

When you click in the signature text box, a small toolbar appears above it with formatting options. You can make text bold, italic, or underlined. You can change the font, text color, and background color. You can also add a link by highlighting text, clicking the link icon, and pasting a URL.

Many people use these tools to make their name stand out, add a clickable email address or website link, or highlight their job title. Keep in mind that some email clients (especially older ones or mobile phones) may not display all formatting the same way, so test your signature by sending yourself a test email and opening it on different devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a signature to emails I reply to?

Signatures do not automatically appear on replies or forwarded messages in Gmail. You can add one manually by typing it into the reply box, or you can go to Settings and turn on Auto-reply if you want a signature on all outgoing mail, including replies. Some third-party email tools also offer this feature.

What if I want different signatures for different email addresses?

If you manage multiple Gmail accounts, each account has its own Settings and its own signatures. Log into each account separately and create a signature for that account. When you switch between accounts in Gmail, the signature for that account will appear automatically.

Can I add an image or logo to my signature?

Gmail's signature tool does not have a built-in image upload feature. However, you can insert an image into the compose box when you write an email, or you can use a third-party tool like Gmail's Templates feature to save a pre-formatted email with a logo. Some email clients and browser extensions also offer image insertion for signatures.

Will my signature appear the same way on all devices?

Your signature will look the same when you send it, but how it appears to the person reading it depends on their email client. Outlook, Apple Mail, Gmail, and phone email apps all display formatting slightly differently. Stick to simple formatting — bold text, line breaks, and basic colors — to make sure your signature looks good everywhere.

Can I delete my signature without deleting my Gmail account?

Yes. Go to Settings, find your signature in the Signature section, and click the trash icon next to it. Your signature will be removed, but your Gmail account and all your emails stay intact. You can create a new signature anytime.