Where to find and edit your signature in Outlook
Your email signature lives in Outlook's settings, not in individual emails. The exact path depends on whether you use Outlook on the web, Outlook desktop, or Outlook on your phone — each one stores signatures in a different place.
On a Windows or Mac computer running Outlook desktop, go to File > Options (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences (Mac), then select Mail > Signatures. On the web at outlook.com or outlook.office.com, click the gear icon in the top right, select View all Outlook settings, then go to Mail > Compose and reply > Email signature. On a phone, most versions do not let you edit signatures directly — you change them on a computer first, then they sync to your phone.
Once you are in the signature section, you will see a text box where your current signature appears, or an empty box if you have not created one yet. This is where you type or paste your new signature text.
Key Takeaways
- Signatures are stored in your Outlook settings, not in individual emails, so changes you make apply to all new messages you send.
- Desktop Outlook stores signatures under File > Options > Mail > Signatures (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences > Mail > Signatures (Mac).
- Outlook on the web requires you to go to Settings > Mail > Compose and reply > Email signature to edit your signature.
- You can create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each email, or set a default signature that appears automatically.
- Changes to your signature do not affect emails you have already sent — only new messages going forward.
Creating a new signature or replacing an old one
When you open the signature editor, you have two choices: create a brand new signature or replace the one you already have. If you want to keep your old signature and add a second one, look for a button labeled New or + (in desktop Outlook) or a similar option in the web version. Name the new signature something you will recognize, like "Work" or "Personal."
To replace your current signature entirely, simply select it from the list and delete the text in the box, then type or paste your new signature. You can include your name, job title, phone number, company name, website, or any other text you want to appear at the bottom of your emails. Outlook also lets you add formatting — bold, italics, different font sizes, and colors — using the toolbar above the text box.
If you want to add a logo or image to your signature, look for an Insert or image icon in the signature editor. Click it, then choose the image file from your computer. Keep images small so they do not make your emails slow to load or hard to read on phones.
Setting a default signature and choosing which one to use
If you have created multiple signatures, you need to tell Outlook which one to use by default. In desktop Outlook, look for a dropdown menu labeled Choose default signature or similar. Select the signature you want to appear automatically on all new emails. You can also set a different default signature for replies and forwards if you want — some people use a shorter version for replies.
On Outlook on the web, the default signature setting is usually just below the signature text box. Select the signature you want to use by default from the dropdown menu.
Even after you set a default, you can still change which signature appears on individual emails. When you start composing a new message, look for a dropdown or menu option that lets you pick a different signature for that one email. This is useful if you have both a work and personal signature and need to send an email from your work account but with your personal signature, or vice versa.
Signature formatting and what works across email clients
Outlook lets you format your signature with colors, fonts, bold text, and other styling. However, not every email client displays formatting the same way. If you send an email to someone using Gmail, Apple Mail, or another email program, some of your formatting might look different on their end, or might not show up at all.
To keep your signature readable everywhere, stick to standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman, and avoid very small text sizes. Bold and italics usually survive the journey between email programs, but colored text and custom fonts sometimes do not. If you include a link in your signature, make sure it is a full web address starting with http:// or https://, not just a domain name.
If you are sending emails to people outside your organization and want your signature to look professional across all email clients, test it by sending yourself an email and opening it in Gmail or another program to see how it appears.
Removing or disabling your signature
If you want to stop using a signature altogether, go back to the signature settings and delete all the text from the signature box. Leave it blank, then save your changes. Outlook will no longer add a signature to your new emails.
If you have multiple signatures and want to remove just one, select it from the list and click Delete or a similar button. The other signatures will remain unchanged. If you delete your default signature, Outlook will ask you to choose a new default, or you can leave the default blank so no signature appears.
Removing a signature does not delete it permanently in all versions of Outlook — sometimes you can restore it by going back to settings and recreating it. If you think you might want to use a signature again later, consider renaming it to something like "Old Signature — Do Not Use" instead of deleting it.
Syncing signatures across devices
If you use Outlook on multiple devices — a desktop computer, laptop, and phone — your signatures should sync automatically if you are signed into the same Microsoft account on all of them. However, syncing can take time, and sometimes a signature appears on one device but not another.
If your signature is not showing up on your phone or another device, try signing out of your Outlook account and signing back in. On a computer, restart Outlook. On a phone, close the Outlook app completely and reopen it. If a signature still does not appear after a few hours, check that you are using the same Microsoft account on all devices.
Signatures created in Outlook desktop do not always sync to Outlook on the web or mobile apps in older versions of Outlook. If you use multiple versions, you may need to create your signature in each one separately. Check which version of Outlook you are running — newer versions sync better than older ones.
Troubleshooting signatures that are not appearing
If you created a signature but it is not showing up on your emails, first check that you set it as the default. Go back to signature settings and confirm that the signature you want is selected in the default dropdown. If nothing is selected, choose your signature and save.
If the default is set correctly but the signature still is not appearing, try restarting Outlook. Close the program completely and open it again. Sometimes Outlook needs to reload to apply signature changes.
If you are using Outlook on the web and your signature is not appearing, clear your browser cache and cookies, then reload the page. If you are using Outlook desktop on Windows, check that you are not in offline mode — signatures do not appear when Outlook is offline.
If you have a very old version of Outlook, some signature features may not work. Check your Outlook version by going to File > Office Account (Windows) or Outlook > About Outlook (Mac) and look for the version number. If it is more than two years old, consider updating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different signatures for different email accounts?
Yes. If you have multiple email accounts set up in Outlook, you can create separate signatures for each one. In the signature settings, look for a dropdown that says "Email account" or similar, select the account you want to customize, then create or edit the signature for that account. Repeat for each account.
Will my signature appear on emails I send from my phone?
If you created your signature on a computer and are signed into the same Microsoft account on your phone, it should appear automatically. If it does not, try signing out of Outlook on your phone and signing back in. Some older phone versions do not support custom signatures — in that case, you may need to add your signature manually to each email or update your phone's Outlook app.
What happens to my signature if I change my password?
Your signature is stored separately from your password, so changing your password does not affect it. You will still see your signature on new emails after you change your password. If you are locked out of your account and reset it, your signature should still be there when you sign back in.
Can I add a signature to emails I have already sent?
No. Signatures only appear on new emails you compose going forward. Emails you have already sent cannot be edited to add a signature. If you need to add information to a sent email, you will have to send a follow-up message.
Why is my signature appearing twice on replies?
This usually happens when you have set a signature for both new emails and replies, and Outlook is adding both. Go to signature settings and check whether you have a default signature set for "New messages" and a separate one for "Replies and forwards." If you want the same signature on everything, set only one default and leave the reply signature blank.