How to Set up an Email Signature on Outlook.com

Creating a signature on Outlook.com differs from other Outlook versions

Man sitting at computer writing on a piece of paper

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by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated June 24, 2019

A signature is useful to add to the end of email messages because it can tell the recipient your name, your job title, company, website, and other important information all in one easy-to-find place. Once set up, your signature will be added automatically to new messages and replies sent from Outlook.com.

Instructions in this article apply to the web-based Outlook.com email service. Refer to the article: How to Add a Signature to Outlook for the desktop software versions of Outlook.

Create an Email Signature on Outlook.com

The process for setting up a signature for your emails on Outlook.com differs from the Outlook email software client. Follow the steps below after going to Outlook.com and logging into your account.

You can create only one email signature on Outlook.com.

  1. In the upper-right corner of the Outlook page, select Settings > View all Outlook settings.

    Outlook.com Settings menu
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  2. In the Settings window, select Mail > Compose and reply.

    Outlook.com Compose and reply window
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  3. In the Email signature section, compose your signature and use the toolbar options to format the text. It is best to keep your signature under five lines of text. If desired, insert the signature delimiter ("-- ") into your signature

    Outlook.com compose email signature window
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  4. Next, you need to decide when you want the signature added to a message. The options are: Automatically include my signature on new messages that I compose and Automatically include my signature on messages I forward or reply to.

    Outlook.com selections for when signatures should be automatically applied
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  5. Click Save when you're finished.

  6. Your email signature is applied to messages according to your selected default settings.