How to Add a Signature in Gmail (Desktop & Mobile)

A Gmail signature is a block of text — and optionally images or links — that automatically appears at the bottom of every email you send. It can include your name, job title, contact details, a company logo, or even a legal disclaimer. Setting one up takes under five minutes, but the options are more flexible than most people realize.

What a Gmail Signature Actually Does

Every time you compose a new email or reply to one, Gmail can insert your signature automatically. You can have multiple signatures and assign different ones to different email addresses (if you use Gmail with multiple accounts) or manually switch between them while composing.

Signatures live in your Gmail settings and sync across devices when you're signed in — though mobile apps have their own separate signature settings, which catches a lot of people off guard.

How to Add a Signature in Gmail on Desktop

1. Open Gmail in a browser and click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top right corner.
2. Select "See all settings" — not just the quick settings panel.
3. Stay on the General tab and scroll down until you see the Signature section.
4. Click "Create new" and give your signature a name (this is just for your reference — you can have several).
5. Use the text editor to type your signature. You can format text with bold, italics, colors, and font size. You can also insert a link or an image using the toolbar icons.
6. Under Signature defaults, choose whether this signature should appear on new emails, replies/forwards, or both.
7. Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes.

Once saved, your signature will appear automatically in the compose window. You can still edit or remove it from any individual email before sending.

How to Add a Signature in Gmail on Mobile

The Gmail app on Android and iOS handles signatures separately from the browser version. Changes made in the browser do not carry over to the app automatically.

On Android or iOS:

1. Open the Gmail app and tap the three-line menu (hamburger icon) in the top left.
2. Scroll down and tap Settings.
3. Select the email account you want to add a signature to.
4. Tap Signature settings (Android) or Signature (iOS).
5. Toggle the signature on and type your text.

Mobile signatures are plain text only — no formatting, images, or links like you get on desktop. That's a meaningful limitation if you need a branded or richly formatted signature for professional use.

Using Multiple Signatures 📋

Desktop Gmail supports multiple named signatures, which is useful if you:

• Correspond in different professional contexts (e.g., a formal signature for clients, a minimal one for internal emails)
• Manage multiple accounts within the same Gmail interface
• Want a signature for new emails that's different from your reply signature

To switch signatures while composing, click the pen icon at the bottom of the compose window and select a different signature from the list.

Formatting and Image Tips

When inserting a logo or headshot on desktop, Gmail lets you upload an image from your computer, paste a URL, or pull from Google Drive. Keep image file sizes small — large images can cause emails to load slowly or get flagged by spam filters.

If you want a clickable logo, you'll need to insert the image first, then select it and add a hyperlink on top of it using the link tool.

Common Issues Worth Knowing

Signature not showing up? Check that you've saved changes and that your default signature is assigned to the correct account. Also confirm you're looking at the right compose mode — if you're replying, a different default may be set.

HTML signatures from third-party tools: Some businesses use tools that generate HTML-formatted signatures. Gmail's built-in editor doesn't accept raw HTML, but there are workarounds — like pasting a rendered version from a signature generator directly into the editor.

Signature appearing above quoted text: Gmail gives you the option to place your signature before or after quoted text in replies. This is a personal preference, but placing it above the quoted thread is generally more visible to the recipient.

What Varies by User Setup

The "right" signature setup depends on factors specific to your situation: whether you're using Gmail through a personal account or a Google Workspace (business) account, whether you send emails primarily from a browser or your phone, how much visual branding matters, and whether your organization has a required signature format.

Google Workspace admins can also enforce company-wide signatures across all users — something individuals on personal Gmail accounts won't encounter. If you're on a managed account, some settings may already be in place or restricted by your organization.

The steps above cover what's technically possible, but what actually makes sense for your signature — its length, content, level of formatting, and which device you prioritize — depends entirely on how you use email day to day.