Outlook How To Add An Email Signature

You have likely created a signature, but Outlook is refusing to attach it to your outgoing mail. This happens because the application defaults to 'no signature' for both new messages and replies until you manually assign your saved signature to those specific categories.

Why this happens

Outlook treats signature creation and signature assignment as two separate tasks. Even if the signature is saved, it will remain blank in your emails if you have not explicitly selected it in the default signature dropdown menus.

Steps

1. 01
   Open Outlook and click the gear icon located in the top right corner to access Settings.
2. 02
   Type 'signature' into the search bar at the top of the settings window and select the 'Signatures' result to jump directly to the editor.
3. 03
   Click the button to add a new signature, enter your details, and use the formatting tools to customize your name, title, and contact information.
4. 04
   Click Save to store your new signature.
5. 05
   Locate the two dropdown menus at the bottom labeled 'New messages' and 'Replies and forwards'.
6. 06
   Change both dropdowns from 'No signature' to the specific signature you just created.
7. 07
   Click Save again to finalize the assignment; your signature will now appear automatically whenever you compose or reply to an email.

Still not working?

If your signature still fails to appear, ensure you are not accidentally switching to a different account profile within the email window, as signatures are account-specific. If you are using the classic version of Outlook, navigate to File > Options > Mail > Signatures to verify the settings there, as the menu path differs slightly from the modern web-based layout.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to re-add my signature for every new email?

No. Once you select your signature in the 'New messages' and 'Replies and forwards' dropdown menus and click save, Outlook will automatically include it in every future email.

Why is my signature showing up twice in email threads?

This usually happens if you have a signature manually typed into your email template and another set as the automatic Outlook default. Delete the manually typed version to resolve the duplication.

Can I have different signatures for different email accounts?

Yes. When you are in the signatures settings, ensure you have the correct email account selected at the top before you configure the 'New messages' and 'Replies and forwards' dropdowns.