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Summary
This article covers general recommendations for email signatures with steps for how to add a signature in Outlook (Windows, Mac OS, Web), for faculty, staff, or students.
General Recommendations
Keep it Clean and Simple!
The more links you include in your signature, the more likely it will be flagged as spam and possibly not delivered.
- If you include a logo, keep it small and directly embedded (not linked) in the signature
- Do not include confidentiality statements -- they are nonbinding and ineffectual
- If you are going to include a link, don’t include more than one
- Avoid social media links, especially images that are also hyperlinks
- Avoid URL shortening services (Bitly, etc.) in signature. This will help insure your email is delivered and not sorted as spam or blocked all together
- If available, use your campus's email signature template for a consistent campus image. See Further Readings section below for links to campus email standards and templates where available.
Sample Signature Template - copy/paste and fill in your own specific information
Firstname Lastname
Your Title Here
Your Department Here
College/University Name Here
Street Address, City, NH, ZIP
603-XXX-XXXX
emailaddress@campus.edu
https://campus.edu/department
How-To
Task: Add a signature in Outlook (classic)
Instructions
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Open Outlook
Launch the Outlook desktop app on your Windows computer.
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Go to Signature Settings
- Click File in the top-left corner.
- Select Options from the left-hand menu.
- In the Outlook Options window, click Mail in the left pane.
- Click the Signatures... button on the right under the Compose messages section.
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Create or Edit a Signature
- In the Email Signatures window:
- Click New to create a new signature and give it a name.
- Use the editor to type and format your signature (fonts, colors, images, links, etc.).
- You can create multiple signatures if needed.
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Set Signature Defaults
- Under Choose default signature, select:
- Your email account (if you have more than one).
- The signature to use for New messages.
- The signature to use for Replies/forwards (optional).
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Save and Close
- Click OK to save your signature.
- Click OK again to close the Outlook Options window.
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Done!
Your signature will now be automatically added to emails based on your selected defaults.
Outcome
You should be able to add a Signature in the Outlook app on Windows. Selected default signatures will automatically appear on new email messages and all signatures will be available under the "Signature" option when composing messages.
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Task: Add a signature in the New Outlook app on Mac or Windows
Instructions
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Open the New Outlook App
Launch the New Outlook on your Windows or Mac device.
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Go to Settings
- Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner.
- In the Settings pane, scroll down and click Mail > Compose and reply.
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Create or Edit Your Signature
- In the Email signature section, you’ll see a rich text editor.
- Enter your signature text and format it as needed (fonts, colors, links, images, etc.).
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Set Signature Defaults
Below the editor, choose:
- Automatically include my signature on new messages I compose
- Automatically include my signature on messages I forward or reply to
(Check or uncheck based on your preference.)
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Save Your Changes
Click Save at the bottom of the settings pane.
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Done!
Your signature will now be applied automatically based on your selected preferences.
Outcome
You should be able to add a Signature in the Outlook app on Apple Mac. Selected default signatures will automatically appear on new email messages and all signatures will be available under the "Signature" option when composing messages.
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Task: Add a signature in Outlook on the Web (OWA)
Instructions
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Open Outlook on the Web
Go to https://outlook.office.com and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
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Access Settings
- Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner.
- In the search bar, type "email signature" and select Email signature from the dropdown.
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Create or Edit Your Signature
- In the Email signature settings panel, you’ll see a text editor where you can:
- Type your signature.
- Format text (bold, italic, font size, color, etc.).
- Add images or links if needed.
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Choose When to Use the Signature
Below the editor, check the boxes for:
- Automatically include my signature on new messages I compose
- Automatically include my signature on messages I forward or reply to
(Optional, based on your preference)
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Save Your Changes
Click Save at the bottom of the settings panel.
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Done!
Your signature will now appear automatically based on the options you selected.
Note: View existing signatures by clicking the drop-down arrow in the signature name field.
Outcome
You should be able to add a signature in Outlook on the Web (OWA). Selected default signatures will automatically appear on new email messages and all signatures will be available under the "Signature" option when composing messages.
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Further Readings
Outlook on the Web - https://outlook.office.com
Outlook: Applying Sensitivity Labels
Campus-specific email signature templates and standards
UNH - Email Signature Template
UNH - Email signature standard - from UNH Digital Communication, Visual and design standard
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Need additional help?
For assistance concerning site creation, content sharing, file synchronization, or other common SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, or Office app activities, we recommend our Microsoft 365 Learning sites:
Learn more about the great tools our Microsoft 365 Learning sites offer!
Visit the Technology Help Desk Support page to locate your local campus contact information or to submit an online technology support request. For password issues you must call or visit the Help Desk in person.