How to set up a signature in Outlook: new, classic, and mobile

Step by step

1. 1

   New Outlook and the browser version

   Click the gear icon in the top right corner and open the Mail section. Look for Signatures - in some versions it's tucked under Compose and reply. Type your signature in the editor and save the changes.

2. 2

   Classic Outlook on the desktop

   Go to File → Options → Mail and click the Signatures button. A window opens where you add a new signature with the New button, give it a name, and type the content in the field below. You can create several different signatures and switch between them while writing a message.

3. 3

   Assign the signature to the right account

   In the same window, on the right, choose which email account the signature belongs to - this matters if you have several mailboxes connected. Only then will the default signature settings apply to the right address. Without this, the signature may not insert at all.

4. 4

   Set it separately for new messages and replies

   The signature settings have two lists: New messages and Replies/forwards. For new messages, set the full signature with your details; for replies, pick a shorter version or none. That way the whole block of details doesn't repeat under every message in a long thread.

5. 5

   Add a logo and links

   In the signature editor, insert your logo with the image icon and turn your website or profile address into a clickable link. Keep the logo a sensible size, because an oversized image breaks the layout on the recipient's side and bloats the message. Instead of pasting long addresses, attach the link to readable text. If your company requires a standard disclaimer under messages, add it in smaller type below your main details.

6. 6

   The signature in the mobile app

   The Outlook mobile app has its own signature, independent of the computer - by default it inserts an ad for Outlook, which you'll probably want to change. Open the app's settings via the gear icon and find the Signature entry. Type your own version and save.

New Outlook, classic, and 365 - where to look

Microsoft runs several versions of Outlook at once these days, and the menus look different in each. The classic desktop program keeps signatures under File → Options → Mail, while the new Outlook and the browser version keep them in the settings behind the gear icon, in the Mail section. With Microsoft 365 you get the same windows, just with the current look.

Signatures don't always carry over between versions automatically. If you set one up in the classic program, it may be missing in the browser version and vice versa - in that case simply paste the same content in the other place. The newer Outlook increasingly syncs signatures through the cloud, but don't count on it in every setup. When you change your signature in several places, set the same content everywhere, so recipients get a consistent footer no matter where you happen to be writing from.

What to put in a signature, and what to avoid

A good signature is short: your name, job title, company, phone number, and website address are plenty. If you add a logo, use a small image, and attach links to text instead of pasting raw addresses. An overloaded signature full of graphics can get treated as spam and falls apart on recipients' phones.

Beware of images inserted as attachments, because for some recipients the logo will show up as a paperclip icon instead of appearing in the body. Test the finished signature by sending a message to yourself and opening it on a phone and on a computer. You'll see right away whether everything lines up the way you want.

Frequently asked questions