What an email signature is and why you'd want one
An email signature is a block of text that appears automatically at the end of every email you send. It typically includes your name, job title, phone number, website, or any other information you want recipients to see without typing it each time. Think of it as a digital business card that gets attached to your outgoing mail.
A signature saves you from retyping contact details in every message and makes you look more professional, especially in work emails. It also gives people a way to reach you by phone or find your website without asking. For personal email, a signature might just be your name and a link to your blog. For work, it might include your full title, company name, office address, and multiple phone numbers.
The signature you create stays the same across all your emails unless you deliberately change it, so you set it once and it works from then on.
Key Takeaways
- Email signatures are created in your account settings, not in individual emails, and appear automatically on every message you send.
- Most email providers let you create one signature for all emails and optionally a different one for replies, which is useful if you want a shorter version for back-and-forth conversations.
- You can include text, links, and basic formatting like bold or italics, but most email providers do not support images or complex layouts in signatures.
- Your signature appears the same way to everyone who receives your email, regardless of what email program they use to read it.
How to add a signature in Gmail
Open Gmail in your web browser and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select See all settings, then click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. Scroll down until you see the Signature section — it is usually near the bottom of the page.
Click Create new and give your signature a name (for example, "Work" or "Personal"). In the text box below, type or paste the text you want to appear at the end of your emails. You can use the formatting buttons above the text box to make text bold, italic, or underlined, and to add links. When you are done, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes.
By default, Gmail will add your signature to all outgoing emails. If you want a different signature for replies and forwards, click Create new again and follow the same steps. Then use the dropdown menus under "Signature" to choose which signature appears for new emails and which for replies.
How to add a signature in Outlook (web and desktop)
In Outlook on the web: Click the gear icon in the top right and select View all Outlook settings. Go to Mail and then Compose and reply. Scroll down to the Email signature section and type your signature in the text box. You can format text using the buttons above the box. Click Save when you are done.
In Outlook on your computer: Click File in the top left, then Options. Select Mail from the left sidebar, then click Signatures. Click New, give your signature a name, and type your text in the editing box. Use the formatting buttons to style your text. Click OK twice to save.
Outlook lets you create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for new emails versus replies. After you create your first signature, you can click New again to create a second one, then use the dropdown menus to assign each signature to the right type of message.
How to add a signature in Apple Mail and other providers
In Apple Mail on Mac: Open Mail and click Mail in the menu bar, then Settings. Click the Signatures tab. Select the email account you want to add a signature to on the left, then click the plus sign at the bottom to create a new signature. Type your text in the box on the right. Close the window when you are done — your changes save automatically.
In Yahoo Mail: Click the gear icon and select Settings. Go to Mailboxes and then Signature. Type your signature in the text box and click Save.
In ProtonMail: Click your profile icon in the top right, select Settings, then go to General. Scroll to Signature and type your text in the box. Click Save at the bottom of the page.
If you use a different email provider, look for settings or preferences in the account menu, then search for "signature" or "compose". Most providers follow a similar pattern: find the settings area, locate the signature section, type your text, and save.
What you can and cannot include in a signature
You can include plain text, links, and basic formatting like bold, italic, and underline in almost every email provider. You can also add line breaks and blank lines to space out your information. Most providers let you create a clickable link by highlighting text and using the link button in the formatting toolbar.
Images, logos, and complex layouts are not supported in most email signatures, or they cause problems when recipients read your email on a phone or in certain email programs. If you want to include a logo, some providers like Outlook and Gmail have limited image support, but the image must be hosted online (not uploaded from your computer) and the signature may not display correctly for everyone. For most people, a text-only signature is the safest choice.
Avoid using special characters or symbols that might not display correctly in all email programs. Stick to standard letters, numbers, and punctuation. If you include a phone number, use a format like (555) 123-4567 rather than unusual spacing or dashes.
How to edit or remove your signature
To change your signature, go back to the same settings area where you created it. In Gmail, click the gear icon and go to Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP > Signature. Click in the text box and make your changes, then scroll down and click Save Changes. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Compose and reply and edit the text in the email signature box.
To remove your signature entirely, go to the signature settings and delete all the text in the box, leaving it blank. Then save. Your emails will no longer include a signature at the end. You can always add a new one later by following the same steps you used to create the first one.
If you have multiple signatures (one for new emails and one for replies, for example), you can edit each one separately. Just make sure you are editing the right signature before you save.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different signatures for different email accounts?
Yes. If you have multiple email accounts set up in the same email program, most providers let you create a separate signature for each account. In Gmail, you can create different signatures and assign them to different accounts. In Outlook, you can create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each account when composing a message.
Will my signature show up the same way for everyone who receives my email?
Your signature will appear as plain text for everyone, but the exact look may vary slightly depending on what email program they use to read it. Formatting like bold and italics usually stays the same, but fonts and spacing might look slightly different on a phone versus a computer. Links will work the same way everywhere.
Can I add a signature to emails I have already sent?
No. A signature only appears on new emails you send after you create it. Emails you sent before adding a signature will not have one. If you need to add contact information to an old email, you would have to forward it or send a new message.
What if my signature is not showing up on my emails?
Check that you saved your changes in the settings area. If you created a signature but it is not appearing, go back to settings and make sure the signature is assigned to new emails (not just replies). Some email programs also require you to restart the program after creating a signature. If you are using a mobile app, check whether that app supports signatures — some do not.