Setting up your Outlook signature
How to create and set up an email signature in Outlook — including your name, title, phone number, and branding — so it appears automatically on every email.
A professional email signature shows recipients who you are, what you do, and how to reach you — before they even ask. It also reinforces your brand with every email you send.
Quick summary
In Outlook on the web, go to Settings → View all Outlook settings → Mail → Compose and reply. Scroll to the Signature section, create your signature, and choose whether it appears automatically on new emails and replies. In the desktop app, go to File → Options → Mail → Signatures.
What you'll need
Beginner 5 minutes- Your name, job title, phone number, and any other contact details you want to include
- Your company website address
- Access to Outlook (web or desktop)
What to include in your signature
A professional business signature typically includes:
- Full name
- Job title
- Company name
- Phone number
- Website URL
- Optionally: company address, LinkedIn profile, social media links
Keep it concise. More than five or six lines starts to feel cluttered.
Setting up a signature in Outlook on the web
Open Outlook at outlook.office.com.
Click the Settings icon (gear icon in the top right corner).
Click View all Outlook settings at the bottom of the panel that opens.
Go to Mail → Compose and reply.
Scroll down to the Email signature section. You can have more than one signature (for example, a full one for new emails and a shorter one for replies).
Type your signature in the text box. Use the formatting toolbar to adjust the font, size, and color. Keep it clean and consistent with your brand.
Choose when to use the signature. You can set one signature to appear automatically on all new emails, and the same or a different one on replies and forwards.
Click Save. Your signature will now appear automatically on the messages you compose.
Setting up a signature in the Outlook desktop app
Open the Outlook desktop app on your computer.
Click File in the top left, then click Options.
Go to Mail → Signatures. A new window opens.
Click New to create a signature. Give it a name (like "Full" or "Short reply").
Type your signature in the large text box. Use the formatting tools to style it.
In the Choose default signature section, set which signature appears automatically on new messages and on replies/forwards.
Click OK to save.
Signatures are device-specific in the desktop app
If you set up a signature in the Outlook desktop app, it only applies to that computer. To have the same signature when you use Outlook on the web or on a different device, set it up separately in each place.
Tips for a polished signature
- Stick to one or two fonts. Mixing fonts looks messy. Use the same font as your company's style guide, or default to something clean like Calibri or Arial.
- Avoid too many images. Some email clients block images by default. If you include a logo, also include a text version of your details.
- Don't include confidential disclaimers unless your legal team requires it — they are largely unenforceble and clutter every email.
- Keep the color palette simple. One accent color, matching your brand, is plenty.
Common questions
Related guides
- Outlook basics for business
- Organizing Outlook with rules & folders
- Setting up your Gmail signature
- Creating a professional email signature
Need a hand?
Learn more
Organizing Outlook with rules & folders
How to create folders and set up automatic rules in Outlook to keep your inbox organized and reduce email overwhelm.
Shared mailboxes in Microsoft 365
How to create and use a shared mailbox in Microsoft 365 — perfect for team inboxes like info@, support@, or hello@yourcompany.com.