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 and in new Outlook for Windows, go to Settings → Accounts → Signatures, select Add signature, write it, and use the checkboxes to decide whether it appears on new messages and on replies and forwards. In classic Outlook for Windows, go to File → Options → Mail → Signatures.

What you'll need

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

Microsoft says the steps here are the same in new Outlook for Windows, so follow these if you use either one.

Open Outlook at outlook.office.com.

Select Settings (the gear icon at the top of the page).

Select Accounts → Signatures.

Select Add signature and give it a distinct name. You can have more than one (for example, a full one for new emails and a shorter one for replies).

Type your signature in the editing box below the name. Use the formatting tools to adjust the font, size, and color. Keep it clean and consistent with your brand.

Choose when to use the signature. The checkboxes at the bottom decide whether it is applied to new messages and to replies and forwards. Leave them blank if you would rather add the signature by hand when you write a message.

Select Save. Your signature will now appear automatically on the messages you compose.

If you have more than one account in Outlook

When several accounts are added to Outlook, pick the account you want the signature to apply to before you create it. Each account has its own signature.

Setting up a signature in the Outlook desktop app

Outlook for Windows comes in two versions — new Outlook and classic Outlook — and the menus differ. If the steps below don't match what you see, you are probably on new Outlook: use the web steps above instead.

Open classic Outlook on your computer.

Select File → Options → Mail → Signatures. A new window opens. (You can also open a new message and choose Signature → Signatures on the Message menu.)

In the E-mail account box, choose the account you want the signature to belong to.

Under Select signature to edit, choose New. Give it a name (like "Full" or "Short reply").

Type your signature under Edit signature. You can change fonts, colors, and sizes, and add links and images.

Under Choose default signature, pick a signature in the New messages box and in the Replies/forwards box, or leave either as (none).

Choose OK to save.

Signatures in classic Outlook are stored on that computer

Microsoft's guidance is that signatures created in classic Outlook are stored locally on the device where they were created, so they may not be there when you use Outlook somewhere else. Set the signature up separately in each place you write email, including Outlook on the web.

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 add long legal disclaimers unless your legal team asks for them — they clutter every email you send.
Keep the color palette simple. One accent color, matching your brand, is plenty.

Common questions

My signature isn't showing up automatically. What's wrong?

Check that the signature is actually switched on for the messages you're writing. In Outlook on the web and new Outlook, go back to Settings → Accounts → Signatures and look at the checkboxes at the bottom for new messages and for replies and forwards. In classic Outlook, go to File → Options → Mail → Signatures and check the New messages and Replies/forwards boxes under Choose default signature.

Can I have different signatures for different email addresses?

Yes. Each email account you have added to Outlook can have its own signature — pick the account at the top of the signature settings before you create one. In classic Outlook, choose the account in the E-mail account box.

How do I add a company logo to my signature?

In the signature editor, select the image button, find the image file on your computer, and insert it. Keep the file small so your emails stay quick to open, and remember that some email apps block images by default — so put your key details in text as well.

Can the admin set the same signature for everyone?

Yes, in a roundabout way. An admin can create a mail flow rule (Microsoft also calls these transport rules) in Exchange Online that adds a signature, disclaimer, or footer to the top or bottom of messages leaving your organization. It isn't the same as filling in everyone's signature box — the text is added to the message as it's sent — and it takes some setup. Ask us if you'd like help with this.

Need a hand?

If you're stuck, email support@chykalophia.com and we'll help. Include your website address and a screenshot if you can.