The quickest way to change your signature

Open Outlook and go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures. Select the signature you want to edit from the list, make your changes in the editing box, then click Save. The new signature will appear on emails you send going forward — it won't change signatures on emails you've already sent.

If you use multiple email accounts in Outlook, you can set a different signature for each one. You can also choose whether a signature appears on new messages, replies, or both. The process is the same whether you're using Outlook on Windows, Mac, or the web version.

Key Takeaways

  • Access your signature settings through File > Options > Mail > Signatures on Windows, or Outlook > Preferences > Signatures on Mac.
  • You can create multiple signatures and assign each one to a different email account or use case.
  • Signatures can include text, images, links, and formatted text like bold or italics.
  • Set whether your signature appears on new messages, replies and forwards, or both separately for each account.

Editing an existing signature on Windows

Click File in the top left corner, then select Options. In the left sidebar, click Mail, then find and click Signatures. You'll see a list of any signatures you've already created. Click the one you want to change, and the text will appear in the editing box on the right side of the window.

Make your edits directly in the box — you can delete text, add new text, change fonts, add bold or italics, or paste in a logo or image. When you're done, click Save at the bottom of the window. Close the Options window, and your new signature is active.

Editing an existing signature on Mac

Open Outlook and click Outlook in the menu bar at the top, then select Preferences. Click Signatures in the window that opens. You'll see your email accounts listed on the left and any existing signatures in the middle column. Click the signature you want to edit, and it will open in the editing area on the right.

Make your changes in the editing area just as you would on Windows. Mac Outlook lets you format text, add images, and include links the same way. Click outside the editing area or close the Preferences window when you're done — your changes save automatically.

Creating a new signature from scratch

In the Signatures window (File > Options > Mail > Signatures on Windows, or Outlook > Preferences > Signatures on Mac), click the New button. A dialog box will ask you to name your signature — use something descriptive like "Work" or "Formal" so you can tell them apart later. Type the name and click OK.

The new signature will appear in the editing box. Type or paste your signature content — your name, title, phone number, company name, website, or any other text you want to include. You can format it with different fonts, sizes, colors, and styles. When you're finished, click Save.

Assigning signatures to email accounts and message types

After you create or edit a signature, you need to tell Outlook when to use it. In the Signatures window, look for the dropdown menus labeled New messages and Replies and forwards. These menus let you pick which signature (if any) appears on each type of email. You can use the same signature for both, different signatures for each, or no signature at all.

If you have multiple email accounts, you'll see each account listed separately in the Signatures window. You can assign a different signature to each account, or leave some accounts without a signature. This is useful if you use one email for work and another for personal messages — each can have its own signature style.

Adding images and formatting to your signature

The signature editing box works like a simple word processor. To add an image, click in the editing area where you want the image to go, then look for an Insert option or right-click and select Insert Picture. Choose the image file from your computer — logos and headshots are common choices. The image will appear in your signature and will be included in every email you send with that signature.

You can make text bold, italic, or underlined using the formatting buttons above the editing box, or by selecting text and using keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+B for bold, Ctrl+I for italic). You can also change text color and font size. Keep in mind that some email clients may not display all formatting the same way, so test your signature by sending a few emails to yourself or a colleague to see how it looks on their end.

Troubleshooting signature problems

If your signature isn't appearing on emails you send, check that you've assigned it to the right message type. Go back to File > Options > Mail > Signatures and make sure the signature is selected in the New messages dropdown (or Replies and forwards if you only want it on replies). If the dropdown says None, that's why your signature isn't showing up.

If you've changed a signature but the old version is still appearing, make sure you clicked Save after making your edits. Also check that you're not using a different signature for that particular email account — you may have multiple signatures assigned to different accounts. If you're using Outlook on the web, note that web-based Outlook has slightly different steps: look for Settings (the gear icon) > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Compose and reply to find signature options there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different signatures for different people or projects?

Yes. Create multiple signatures with different names, then manually select which one to use each time you compose an email. Outlook doesn't have a built-in way to automatically choose a signature based on who you're emailing, but you can quickly pick the right one from the Signature menu in the compose window before you send.

Will my signature appear on emails I send from my phone?

Outlook on mobile devices (iPhone, Android) uses the signatures you set up in the desktop version of Outlook, but mobile apps sometimes handle formatting differently. Test by sending an email to yourself from your phone to see how your signature displays. You may need to create a simpler version without images or special formatting for mobile use.

What happens if I delete a signature?

Once you delete a signature, it's gone and can't be recovered. Any email accounts that were using that signature will stop showing a signature on new messages. If you think you might want to use a signature again later, consider renaming it to something like "Old — Do Not Use" instead of deleting it.

Can I include a hyperlink in my signature?

Yes. Highlight the text you want to turn into a link, right-click, and select Hyperlink. Type or paste the web address (like https://www.example.com) and click OK. The text will turn blue and underlined, and recipients can click it to visit the link.