Set Up an Outlook Signature for Professional Emails

Set up an Outlook signature: create professional emails

A professional email signature is your digital business card. Every time you send an email, the recipient sees your contact details in a neat and consistent way. In this detailed guide, you will learn how to set up a signature in Microsoft Outlook, both in the desktop app and in Outlook on the web.

Why an email signature matters

Before we get started with the setup, let's first look at why a good signature is so valuable.

Benefits of a professional signature

Professional appearance: A clean signature with your name, job title and contact details makes a good impression on recipients. This is especially important in business communication.

Saves time: You don't have to retype your contact details in every email. Outlook adds your signature automatically.

Consistent branding: If you work for a company, a uniform signature makes your communication with customers and partners recognizable.

Easy to contact: Recipients can quickly find your phone number, website or LinkedIn profile without having to search for it.

Legal information: Many companies are required to add certain legal text or disclaimers to business emails.

Set up a signature in Outlook for Windows

Let's start with the desktop version of Outlook for Windows, which most business users rely on.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer.

Step 2: At the top of the screen, click File in the menu bar.

Step 3: In the menu on the left, click Options. A new window with Outlook options opens.

Step 4: In the left menu, click Mail.

Step 5: Find the Compose messages section and click the Signatures button.

Step 6: The Signatures and Stationery window opens. Click the New button to create a new signature.

Step 7: Give your signature a name, for example Work or Personal. Click OK.

Step 8: You can now type and format your signature in the large text field at the bottom.

Step 9: Under Choose default signature, set which signature should be used automatically for new messages and for replies.

Step 10: Click OK to save your signature.

Format your signature

A good signature is more than just text. With the right formatting, you make a professional impression.

Format text

The signature window gives you several formatting options:

Change the font: Select the text and choose a professional font such as Arial, Calibri or Verdana. Avoid playful fonts in business communication.

Adjust the text size: Use a readable size, usually 10 to 12 points. Your name can be slightly larger.

Add colors: You can give certain elements a color, for example your name or job title. Use colors sparingly and preferably choose your company colors.

Bold or italic: Make important information such as your name bold for extra emphasis.

Add images

You can also add images to your signature, such as a company logo or your photo:

Step 1: Place the cursor where you want to insert the image.

Step 2: Click the picture icon (Insert Picture).

Step 3: Browse to the image on your computer and select it.

Step 4: If needed, adjust the size by clicking the image and dragging the corners.

Tip: Keep logos and images small so your emails don't get too large or end up in spam filters.

Add hyperlinks

You can add links to your website, LinkedIn profile or other online pages:

Step 1: Select the text you want to turn into a link.

Step 2: Click the icon for inserting a hyperlink.

Step 3: Enter the web address and click OK.

Set up a signature in the new Outlook for Windows

Microsoft has released a new version of Outlook for Windows. The steps are slightly different:

Step 1: Open the new Outlook app.

Step 2: Click the gear icon in the top right to open Settings.

Step 3: Click Mail in the left menu.

Step 4: Click Compose and reply.

Step 5: Scroll to the Email signature section.

Step 6: Type your signature in the text field and use the formatting bar to style the text.

Step 7: Check the options for when the signature should be added automatically.

Step 8: Click Save.

Set up a signature in Outlook on the web

Do you use Outlook in your browser? Then follow these steps:

Outlook.com and Outlook Web App

Step 1: Go to outlook.com or your company's Outlook webmail and sign in.

Step 2: Click the gear icon in the top right of the screen.

Step 3: At the bottom, click View all Outlook settings.

Step 4: Click Mail and then Compose and reply.

Step 5: Under Email signature, you can type and format your signature.

Step 6: Choose whether you want to add the signature automatically to new messages and to replies.

Step 7: Click Save.

Tips for an effective signature

A good signature is concise but informative. Here are some tips for putting together the perfect signature.

What should your signature include?

Essential:

• Your full name
• Job title
• Company name
• Phone number
• Email address

Optional but recommended:

• Company website
• LinkedIn profile
• Company logo
• Address details

Avoid:

• Too many social media links
• Excessive graphic elements
• Long inspirational quotes
• Blinking or moving elements

Example of a professional signature

Here is an example of a clean business signature:

Kind regards,

Jan de Vries
Account Manager | ABC Solutions B.V.

Phone: 020-123 4567 | Mobile: 06-12345678
Email: j.devries@abcsolutions.nl
Website: www.abcsolutions.nl
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jandevries

ABC Solutions B.V. | Hoofdstraat 100 | 1234 AB Amsterdam

Length of your signature

Keep your signature brief. A signature of 4 to 8 lines is ideal. Long signatures can be distracting, especially in email conversations where the signature is repeated several times.

Manage multiple signatures

Outlook lets you create and manage multiple signatures.

When multiple signatures are useful

Business vs. personal: A formal signature for work-related emails and a simpler version for personal messages.

Internal vs. external: A full signature for external communication and a shorter version for internal emails.

Different roles: If you have several positions or work for different departments.

Switch signatures while writing

When you write an email, you can easily switch signatures:

Step 1: Click inside the email you are writing.

Step 2: Go to the Insert tab in the menu bar.

Step 3: Click Signature and select the signature you want from the list.

Set up a signature on your phone

You can also set up an Outlook signature on your smartphone.

Outlook app for iOS and Android

Step 1: Open the Outlook app on your phone.

Step 2: Tap your profile picture or initials in the top left.

Step 3: Tap the gear icon for Settings.

Step 4: Scroll down and tap Signature.

Step 5: Type your signature. Note: the formatting options are more limited than on the desktop.

Step 6: Tap the checkmark or Save.

Tip: Keep your mobile signature shorter than your desktop version, since people on mobile devices often expect shorter messages.

Troubleshoot common problems

Sometimes setting up a signature doesn't go completely smoothly. Here are solutions for common problems.

Signature doesn't appear

Check whether you have set the signature as the default for new messages. Go back to the signature settings and check the options under Choose default signature.

Formatting gets lost

If your signature looks different to the recipient, this may be because they receive email in plain text. Ask the recipient to enable HTML view, or create a version of your signature that is also readable without formatting.

Images are not displayed

Some email programs block images by default. Make sure the most important information is also available as text, so recipients can read your details even if the images don't load.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have different signatures for new emails and replies?

Yes, Outlook lets you set a separate default signature for new messages and for replies or forwarded messages. This is useful because replies often call for a shorter signature to keep the email thread easy to follow.

How do I add social media icons to my signature?

You can insert small images of social media icons and link them to your profiles with hyperlinks. Search online for professional social media icons, save them on your computer and insert them with the image feature. Then select the icon and add a hyperlink to your profile.

Is my signature also added to emails I send from my phone?

The signature you set up in the Outlook desktop app is not automatically synced to the mobile app. You need to set up the signature separately in the Outlook app on your phone. This does give you the option to use a shorter, mobile-friendly version.

Can I set up a signature that is only used for certain recipients?

Outlook has no built-in feature to switch signatures automatically based on the recipient. You can, however, manually select a different signature while writing an email via Insert and then Signature. For automated solutions, third-party add-ins are available that make this possible.