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How to Set Up a Signature in Outlook (Classic and New)

Tap through the steps below — which menu you need depends on which Outlook you have open.

  1. Classic desktop Outlook: File > Options > Mail > Signatures

    In the classic Outlook desktop app, go to File > Options > Mail, then click the "Signatures" button to open the signature editor.

  2. New Outlook and Outlook on the web: gear icon > Settings > Accounts > Signatures

    In new Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web, click the gear icon, choose "Accounts," then "Signatures" — or just type "signature" into the settings search box to jump straight to it.

  3. Create a new signature and write it

    Click "New signature," give it a name, and type your name, title, and contact details into the editor.

  4. Insert a small logo, but keep the details as text too

    Use the image icon to add a company logo or headshot, but keep it small and always repeat your name and contact info as plain text, since many mail apps block images by default and an image-only signature can show up blank.

  5. Set defaults for new messages, replies, and each account separately

    Choose which signature is inserted automatically for new messages versus replies and forwards, and repeat this for every email account connected to Outlook, since each one keeps its own default.

Two very different menus, depending on your Outlook

Classic desktop Outlook keeps signatures under File > Options > Mail, while new Outlook and Outlook on the web moved the same setting to the gear icon under Accounts > Signatures — a change from the single combined path a generic email-signature overview usually points to. If you cannot find the menu where a guide says it should be, check Help > About Outlook first to confirm which version you are actually running.

A logo-only signature can end up blank for the recipient

Many corporate mail clients and webmail services block images by default until the recipient clicks to allow them, so a signature built entirely out of a logo image can arrive looking empty. Keeping your name, title, and contact details as real text underneath the logo means the important information still comes through even when the image itself does not load.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my signature look different on my phone than on my computer?

Classic desktop Outlook, new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and the mobile app each store their signature setting separately, so a signature you create in one does not automatically appear in another — you need to set it up in each app you use.

Can I use a different signature for each of my email accounts?

Yes — if you have more than one account connected in Outlook, the Signatures menu lets you create a separate signature for each account and choose its own default for new messages and replies.