How to add an email signature in Outlook (web, new Outlook and classic Outlook)
Step-by-step instructions for adding a signature in Outlook on the web, the new Outlook and classic Outlook for Windows, plus setting defaults and fixing image problems.
Outlook comes in several versions, and the signature setting lives in a different place in each one. First figure out which Outlook you use, then follow the matching steps.
| Version | How to recognize it |
|---|---|
| Outlook on the web | You open it in a browser at outlook.office.com or outlook.live.com. |
| New Outlook | A Windows desktop app that looks very much like Outlook on the web. |
| Classic Outlook | The traditional Windows desktop app with a File menu at the top. |
Outlook on the web and the new Outlook
- Click the ⚙️ Settings icon in the top-right corner.
- Go to Accounts → Signatures.
- Click + New signature and give it a name.
- Click inside the editor and paste your signature (Ctrl+V).
- Under Select default signatures, choose it for For new messages and For replies/forwards.
- Click Save.
Classic Outlook for Windows
- Go to File → Options → Mail.
- Click the Signatures… button.
- On the E-mail Signature tab, click New and give the signature a name.
- Click in the edit box at the bottom and paste your signature.
- Under Choose default signature on the right, select your account and pick the signature for New messages and Replies/forwards.
- Click OK.
Tip: You can reach the same settings by opening a new email and choosing Signature → Signatures… on the Message tab.
Outlook for Mac
Open Settings (or Preferences in older versions) from the Outlook menu, go to Signatures, create a new signature with + and paste it. Then choose the default signature for new messages and replies in the same window.
If images don't show up
Outlook on the web and the new Outlook work best when signature images are loaded from a public web address (https). If the images are embedded in the HTML, or hosted somewhere only reachable inside your company network, some recipients may not see them.
In mailimza, enter the address where you'll host your images in the Image URL field and the HTML signature will load them from there. If you leave the images embedded, the signature works well in desktop apps such as classic Outlook and Apple Mail.
If you use more than one device
If you use Outlook both in the browser and on the desktop, or on several computers, check that your signature appears in each of them. If it doesn't, repeat the steps above in that version.
A consistent signature for the whole team
Building everyone's signature by hand takes time and leads to inconsistent results. With mailimza you design a single template, upload your employee list from a spreadsheet, and get an Outlook-ready HTML signature and a step-by-step setup page for everyone at once. Learn more: create email signatures for your whole team from a spreadsheet.