How To Customize My Outlook Signature
An email signature in Outlook handles the job of introducing you at the bottom of every message. Getting it set up properly once means you never have to type your details again, and a well-formatted signature looks significantly more professional than a plain-text sign-off. This guide covers how to create a signature in Outlook desktop and Outlook on the web, how to format it, and how to set it as your default.
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How to Create an Email Signature in Outlook Desktop
Open Outlook and go to File, Options, Mail, and click Signatures. The Signatures and Stationery dialogue opens. Click New to create a signature, give it a name (something like “Work” or “Standard”), and click OK.
In the editing area at the bottom, type your signature content. The toolbar above the text box lets you change font, size, colour, and alignment, and add links or images. Format it however you like.
Once you are done, click OK to save.
| Practical tip: Keep signatures short. Name, title, company, phone number, and a link are usually enough. Long signatures with multiple logos, legal disclaimers, and social media icons look cluttered and add noise to every email thread. |
How to Create a Signature in Outlook on the Web
Go to outlook.com or access Outlook via office.com. Click the Settings gear icon in the top right. Select View all Outlook settings, then Mail, then Compose and reply. The Email signature section is where you create and edit your signature.
Type and format your signature in the text editor provided. The formatting options are more limited than the desktop app, but you can still adjust font size, colour, and add links.
How to Set a Default Signature
In Outlook desktop, open Signatures and Stationery (File, Options, Mail, Signatures). At the top right of the dialogue, under Choose default signature, select your email account from the dropdown. Then set which signature to use for New messages and for Replies/forwards. You can use a different signature for each, or set Replies/forwards to none if you prefer a cleaner reply thread.
In Outlook on the web, the signature editor has checkboxes below the text area: Automatically include my signature on new messages I compose and Automatically include my signature on messages I forward or reply to. Check whichever applies.
| Note: Signatures set in Outlook desktop do not automatically sync to Outlook on the web, and vice versa. If you use both, you need to set up the signature in each separately. |
How to Add an Image or Logo to Your Signature
In the desktop signature editor, position your cursor where you want the image, then click the image icon in the toolbar (it looks like a small picture). Browse to the image file on your computer and insert it. Resize by clicking and dragging the corner handles.
For best results, use a PNG file with a transparent background, particularly for logos. Keep the image dimensions reasonable. A logo that is 200 to 300 pixels wide is usually sufficient. Very large images increase email file size and can look out of proportion on mobile.
| Practical tip: Embed the image directly rather than linking to a URL. Linked images often fail to display for recipients whose email client blocks external images by default. |
How to Add a Hyperlink to Your Signature
Select the text you want to link, then click the link icon in the signature toolbar. Enter the URL. Common uses include linking your company name to your website, your email address as a mailto link, or your LinkedIn profile.
To create a mailto link (so clicking your email address opens a compose window), use mailto:yourname@email.com as the URL.
How to Create Multiple Signatures
In Outlook desktop, open Signatures and Stationery and click New for each additional signature. You might want one for formal external emails, one for internal messages, and one without a logo for replies. Give each a clear name so you can find them quickly.
To switch signatures manually on a specific email, click in the message body, go to the Insert tab, and select Signature. Choose the one you want from the list.
For more on managing Outlook, see our guide on how to use Outlook Calendar to get the most out of Outlook’s scheduling features.
FAQs
Why is my Outlook signature not showing up?
Check that you have set a default signature in Signatures and Stationery. Make sure the correct email account is selected in the Choose default signature dropdowns, and that a signature is assigned to New messages. If you have multiple accounts in Outlook, each one has its own signature settings.
Can I use HTML in my Outlook signature?
In Outlook desktop, the signature editor works with rich text formatting rather than raw HTML. If you need a more complex HTML signature (for example, a table-based layout with precise formatting), you can paste HTML content directly into the signature editor in some versions, though results vary. A simpler approach is to use the built-in formatting tools and keep the design straightforward.
How do I stop my signature appearing in every reply?
In Outlook desktop, open Signatures and Stationery and set the Replies/forwards dropdown to none for the relevant account. Your signature will then only appear on new messages, not on replies or forwards.
Does my Outlook signature appear on mobile?
The Outlook mobile app has its own signature settings, separate from desktop and web. Open the Outlook app on your phone, go to Settings, select your account, and find Signature. You can set a mobile-specific signature here. It defaults to “Get Outlook for iOS” or similar, which most people want to change.
