Add a signature in Outlook through Settings

To add a signature in Outlook, open your mailbox and select the gear icon in the top right corner, then choose View all Outlook settings. From there, go to Mail > Compose and reply. Scroll down to the Email signature section and type or paste your signature text into the box.

Once you've entered your signature, you can choose whether to add it to all new messages, replies and forwards, or just new messages. Most people select Add signatures to all new emails so the signature appears automatically every time they send a message. After you've made your choice, scroll to the bottom and click Save.

Your signature will now appear at the bottom of every outgoing email. If you want to remove it from a specific message before sending, you can delete it from the compose window — Outlook won't prevent you from doing that.

Key Takeaways

  • Access signature settings through the gear icon, then Mail > Compose and reply > Email signature.
  • You can set Outlook to add your signature to all new emails, or only to new messages and not replies.
  • Signatures can include text, but Outlook's web version does not support images or formatted styling in signatures.
  • You can manually delete a signature from any individual email before sending if you need to send one without it.
  • If you use Outlook on your desktop or phone, the signature settings are separate from your web mailbox settings.

Format your signature with text only

Outlook's web version accepts only plain text in signatures, so you cannot add images, logos, or colored text. Type your name, title, phone number, website, or any other information you want to appear on every email. Keep it concise — most professional signatures are three to five lines.

If you need a signature with images or special formatting, you will need to use Outlook on your desktop computer or the Outlook app on your phone, which both support richer formatting options. The web version simply does not have that capability, so if you compose emails only in your browser, a text-only signature is your only option.

Set different signatures for different email accounts

If you have more than one email account connected to your Outlook mailbox, you can set a different signature for each one. When you're in the Email signature section of Settings, look for a dropdown menu that shows your email addresses. Select each account one at a time and enter a unique signature for that account.

This is useful if you have a work email and a personal email, or if you manage multiple business accounts. Each signature will automatically appear when you send from that specific email address, so you won't have to manually change it between accounts.

Turn off automatic signatures for specific emails

Even after you've set up an automatic signature, you can remove it from any single email before you send. Open the message you're composing, find your signature at the bottom, and select and delete it. Outlook will not add it back automatically — you have to send the message without it.

This is helpful if you're sending an internal message to a coworker where a formal signature feels unnecessary, or if you're forwarding something and want to keep it brief. The signature will still appear on your next new email, so turning it off for one message does not change your default settings.

Signatures on Outlook desktop and mobile apps work differently

If you use Outlook on your Windows computer, Mac, or phone, the signature settings are separate from your web mailbox settings. You will need to add your signature again in each application where you want it to appear. On the desktop version, go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures. On the Outlook mobile app, go to Settings > Mail > Signature.

The desktop and mobile versions also support images and formatted text, unlike the web version. If you set a signature in your web mailbox and then open Outlook on your desktop, you may not see that same signature — you will have created it in two different places. Make sure to set up signatures in whichever version of Outlook you actually use to send emails.

Troubleshoot a signature that is not appearing

If you've added a signature but it's not showing up on your emails, first check that you selected the right option in Settings. Go back to Mail > Compose and reply > Email signature and confirm that Add signatures to all new emails is turned on. If it is, try refreshing your browser or signing out and back into Outlook.

If you're using Outlook on your desktop or phone and your signature is not appearing, check that you've added it in that specific application — the web version settings do not carry over. Also check whether you're composing in HTML or plain text mode; some versions of Outlook only show signatures in one mode or the other. If you're still not seeing it, try restarting the application.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Not in the web version of Outlook. The browser-based mailbox only supports plain text signatures. If you need images or formatted styling, you must use Outlook on your desktop computer or mobile app, both of which allow you to insert images and apply text formatting to your signature.

What if I have multiple email addresses in one Outlook account?

You can set a different signature for each email address. In Settings, find the Email signature section and use the dropdown menu to select each address. Enter a unique signature for each one, and Outlook will automatically use the correct signature when you send from that address.

Will my signature appear on emails I forward or reply to?

Only if you've selected Add signatures to all new emails in Settings. If you chose Add signatures to new messages only, your signature will appear on new emails but not on replies or forwards. You can change this setting at any time.

Can I delete my signature from a single email without changing my settings?

Yes. Open the email you're composing, find your signature at the bottom, select it, and delete it. The signature will still appear on your next email — you're only removing it from that one message. Your default settings remain unchanged.

Do I need to set up my signature again if I use Outlook on my phone?

Yes. Signatures in the web version of Outlook do not carry over to the desktop or mobile apps. You will need to add your signature separately in each application where you want it to appear. Go to Settings in the Outlook app and look for the Signature option under Mail.