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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 the Outlook app on Windows
Instructions
Step 1 - Navigate to your Outlook Client.
Step 2 - From the menu bar, click "New Email".
Step 3 - From the "Include" section of the menu, click "Signature -> Signatures..."
Step 4 - Click the "New" button on the right
Step 5 - Type a name for this signature in the box, and type the signature text in the blank edit box following the General Guidelines at the beginning of this article.
Step 6 - Click the "Save" button at the bottom to save the new signature.
- Repeat steps 4-6 for each new signature you want to add.
Step 7 - Choose default signatures to use for "New messages:" and/or "Replies/forwards:" in the respective drop down boxes below the signature preview box.
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 Outlook app on Apple Mac
Instructions
Step 1 - Navigate to your Outlook Client.
Step 2 - From the menu bar, click "New Email"
Step 3 - From the top menu bar, click "Draft -> Signature -> Edit Signatures.."
Step 4 - From this screen, name and create custom Signatures.
Step 5 - Signature selections will populate in the New Email window under the "Draft" menu selection.
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
Step 1 - Navigate to Outlook on the Web - https://outlook.office.com
Step 2 - From the menu bar, click the blue "New Mail" button
Step 3 - From the menu bar, click "Insert -> Signature -> Signatures..."
Step 4 - Click the "+ New signature" hyperlink.
Step 5 - Type a name for the signature in the "Edit signature name" box, and type the signature text in the blank edit box following the General Guidelines at the beginning of this article.
Step 6 - Click the "Save" button at the bottom to save the new signature.
- Repeat steps 4-6 for each new signature you want to add.
Step 7 - Select default signatures to use for "For New Messages:" and/or "For Replies/Forwards:" in the respective drop down boxes below the signature preview box.
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.