Here’s how to create a signature in Outlook, with quick steps for Windows, Mac, and Outlook on the web, plus a few tips to make it look professional.

Quick Scoop: What You’ll Do

You’ll:

  • Open Outlook’s signature settings.
  • Create and name a new signature.
  • Design it (text, links, maybe a logo).
  • Choose when it appears automatically (new emails, replies, or both).

Outlook on Windows (classic / new)

A. Create the signature

  1. Open Outlook and go to your Mail view.
  1. Start a new email (New Email).
  1. On the Message tab, select Signature → Signatures….
  1. In the “E-mail account” list, choose the account you want to use.
  1. Under “Select signature to edit,” click New , type a name (e.g., “Work – Full”), and click OK.
  1. In the Edit signature box, type your signature (name, title, phone, etc.).
  1. Use the formatting bar to change font, size, color, add links, and insert images like a logo.
  1. Click Save.

Mini tip: For complex layouts (columns, borders, multiple alignments), create the design in Word first, then copy‑paste it into the signature editor.

B. Set it to appear automatically

  1. In the same window, find Select default signatures / Choose default signature.
  1. For New messages , pick the signature you want to appear by default.
  1. For Replies/forwards , choose a shorter signature, or select None if you want to insert it manually.
  1. Click OK to finish.

Now your default signature appears when you click New Email, and you can switch signatures from the Signature menu while composing.

Outlook for Mac

  1. Open Outlook, then on the top menu choose Outlook → Settings/Preferences.
  1. Under Email, click Signatures.
  1. Click the + button to add a new signature.
  1. Give it a name, then compose your signature in the right pane using fonts, colors, links, and images.
  1. In the same window, use the dropdowns for New messages and Replies/forwards to choose which signature appears automatically.
  1. Close the window; your signature will now be available when you compose emails.

Outlook.com / Outlook on the Web

  1. Sign in at Outlook.com or your organization’s Outlook on the web.
  1. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top‑right corner.
  1. Click View all Outlook settings.
  1. Go to Mail → Compose and reply.
  1. Find the Email signature section.
  1. Create a new signature (if there’s a “New signature” button, click it and name your signature).
  1. Type your signature and format it using the mini toolbar (font, size, color, links, images).
  1. Choose when to automatically include the signature: check boxes for new messages and/or replies and forwards.
  1. Click Save.

From now on, the signature will show up according to the options you selected, and you can still toggle or change it from the compose window.

What to Put in Your Signature (Without Overdoing It)

A clean Outlook signature should balance clarity and brevity.

Consider including:

  • Your full name and role (e.g., “Jordan Lee, Product Manager”).
  • Company name and website.
  • Main contact number; optional secondary line.
  • One or two relevant links (website, LinkedIn, booking page).
  • A small logo or headshot if your company uses them.

Try to avoid:

  • Long quotes or jokes.
  • Too many colors or fonts.
  • Multiple large images that break in some email clients.

Example Signature Layouts

Here are a few common styles you can recreate in Outlook’s editor.

[4] [4] [4] [4] [4] [4] [4] [4]
Signature type When to use Typical content
Full / formal New emails to clients or partners Name, title, company, phone, website, logo, single CTA link
Short / reply Replies and forwards Name, role, one contact method (phone or email)
Internal Emails to colleagues First name and extension / internal ID
Campaign / promo During marketing campaigns Normal signature plus a banner or short promo link

Quick TL;DR

  • Go to Outlook’s signature settings (Windows: Signature → Signatures; Mac: Outlook → Preferences → Signatures; Web: Settings → View all Outlook settings → Mail → Compose and reply).
  • Create and name a new signature, then format it with text, links, and an optional logo.
  • Set it as the default for new emails and/or replies so it inserts automatically.

If you tell me which version of Outlook you’re on (Windows, Mac, web, or mobile), I can give you a shorter, version‑specific checklist you can follow step by step.