Where to find and edit your signature in Outlook

Your email signature lives in Outlook's settings, not in your email itself. To change it, open Outlook and go to File > Options (on Windows) or Outlook > Preferences (on Mac). Then select Mail from the left menu, and look for Signatures. Click it, and you'll see a box where you can type or paste your new signature text.

The signature editor lets you format text — bold, italic, different fonts, colors — the same way you'd format an email. You can also insert a logo or image by clicking Insert Image within the signature box. Once you've made your changes, click OK to save.

Key Takeaways

  • Signatures are stored in Outlook settings (File > Options > Mail > Signatures), not in your email drafts.
  • You can create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for new emails, replies, or forwarded messages.
  • Outlook lets you set a default signature so it appears automatically on every new email you send.
  • Changes to your signature take effect immediately for new emails but do not change signatures on messages you've already sent.

Setting a default signature for new emails

Once you've created a signature, you can make it appear automatically on every new email. In the Signatures window, look for the dropdown menu labeled New messages and select the signature you want to use. This is separate from the Replies and forwards dropdown, which controls what signature appears when you reply to or forward an existing email.

Many people use a full signature (name, title, phone number) for new emails but a shorter one or no signature for replies. Set both dropdowns to match your preference, then click OK. From that point on, Outlook will insert your chosen signature automatically.

Creating multiple signatures for different purposes

You can create as many signatures as you need. In the Signatures window, click New, give your signature a name (like "Professional" or "Casual"), and type the content. Each signature is stored separately, so you can switch between them without deleting the old one.

This is useful if you send emails in different contexts — for example, a formal signature for work emails and a simpler one for personal messages. You can set a default signature for new messages, but you can also manually choose a different one each time you send an email by clicking Insert > Signature in the message composer.

Adding images and logos to your signature

To add an image to your signature, click inside the signature text box and position your cursor where you want the image to go. Then click Insert Image (the exact button name varies slightly between Outlook versions). Select the image file from your computer, and Outlook will embed it into the signature.

Keep image file sizes small — under 100 KB is ideal — so your emails don't become too large. Outlook will resize the image to fit, but you can also right-click the image after it's inserted and adjust its size manually. Remember that some email clients and older versions of Outlook may not display images reliably, so don't put critical information only in the image.

Why your signature might not appear on every email

If you've set a default signature but it's not showing up, check that you selected the correct signature in the New messages dropdown. If you left that dropdown blank, Outlook won't add a signature automatically. You can still insert one manually each time by going to Insert > Signature in the message composer.

Another common issue: if you're replying to an email, Outlook uses the signature from the Replies and forwards dropdown, not the New messages one. If you want the same signature on replies, make sure both dropdowns are set to the same signature. Also note that signatures don't appear in the preview pane — you'll only see them when you open the full message composer.

Syncing signatures across devices

If you use Outlook on multiple devices (desktop, laptop, phone), your signatures don't automatically sync. You'll need to create the same signature on each device separately. On a phone or tablet, the process is different: open Outlook, go to Settings, find your email account, and look for a Signature option within that account's settings.

For Outlook on the web (Outlook.com accessed through a browser), signatures are managed in a different place: click the gear icon, select View all Outlook settings, go to Mail > Compose and reply, and scroll down to Email signature. Changes made in Outlook on the web will sync to the web version on any device, but not to the desktop app.

Removing or disabling your signature

To stop using a signature, go back to File > Options > Mail > Signatures. In the New messages dropdown, select (none). This removes the automatic signature from new emails but keeps the signature saved in case you want to use it again later.

If you want to delete a signature entirely, select it in the signature list and click Delete. You can't undo this action, so make sure you don't need it before you delete. If you only want to remove it temporarily, just set the dropdown to (none) instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different signatures for different email accounts?

Yes. If you have multiple email accounts in Outlook, each account can have its own default signature. In the Signatures window, look for a dropdown that says Email account or Account at the top. Select the account you want to configure, then set the signature for that account. Repeat for each account.

Will my signature appear the same to everyone who receives my email?

Mostly, but not always. Formatting like bold, italics, and colors usually come through, but some email clients display fonts differently or strip out certain formatting. Images generally display fine, but older email clients or strict corporate email systems may block them. Test by sending yourself an email and opening it in different email programs to see how it looks.

Can I add a hyperlink or social media icons to my signature?

Yes. You can type a URL directly into the signature box, and Outlook will usually recognize it as a link. To add social media icons, insert an image file of the icon and then right-click it to add a hyperlink. Make sure the image files are stored somewhere they won't move or get deleted, or the icons may break in emails you sent in the past.

What if I want a signature only on emails I send to certain people?

Outlook doesn't have a built-in filter for this, so you'll need to manually insert or remove your signature for specific emails. Create your signature as usual, but set the New messages dropdown to (none). Then, when you want to use the signature, click Insert > Signature in the message composer and select it manually.

Does changing my signature affect emails I've already sent?

No. Signatures are added when you send an email and become part of that message. Changing your signature in settings only affects new emails you compose going forward. Old emails keep whatever signature was on them when they were sent.