How To Add/Change Signature In Outlook 2013/2016 and 365

An email signature is an essential part of the emails you send out when you work professionally. It allows you to make your email personalized and distinct, which allows potential clients and colleagues to recognize you. Additionally, an email signature can also contain important information because it is like a business card attached directly to your email.

One may think that they do not have to change their signature in an email once they have set it. However, many instances, such as job change, position change, etc., can require you to modify your email signature. If you are confused as to how to do it, this article will detail how to make an outlook signature change. 

Furthermore, Outlook offers you the opportunity to create multiple personalized signatures that you can add to your email to help it look distinguished among others. There is also an option to add text, images, logo, business card, and even a handwritten signature if you want to. Outlook also allows you to create signatures that you can add to your emails on a case-to-case basis. However, to access all of these features, you should know how to change the signature in Outlook and also how to how to add signature in Outlook. Read ahead to find out how to do it. 

Importance of email signatures

Having an email signature makes your email more professional and makes you sound more credible. Therefore, it is extremely important that you have a consistent signature that proudly presents you as a person. Additionally, email signatures often contain all the important parts of your identity, such as your email address, phone number, etc. Therefore, it acts as a business card that you can use alongside the email. 

Another benefit of using an email signature is that it allows your email and your personal image to be extremely legitimate and professional. Hence, you can create an image that is both professional and cohesive. If you are an employee of a company, it can also help your company or business look well-established and legit.

Having an email signature is also an opportunity to push your brand. Whenever you send an email with your signature, it establishes who you are and which company you work for or own. Therefore, it is effortless marketing. Furthermore, it also allows brand recognition. If every person from a company has a logo attached to their email signature, a cohesive image is formed, and the brand becomes distinguished. 

Email signatures also act as a digital business card as they contain all the necessary information that a client or customer will need to contact you. It also conveys an openness to communication that is always well-received and well-liked by customers. 

Due to all these reasons and more, having a personalized signature is extremely important. Learn how to add your own personalized signature to your email below.

How to add a signature in Outlook 2013

How to add a signature in Outlook 2013

If you wish to add a signature in Outlook 2013, note that you cannot create a signature in the Outlook web app and use it in Outlook 2013. Therefore, if you use Outlook 2013, you will have to create a separate signature for each. 

Outlook 2013 allows its users to create one default signature and have various alternative signatures as well. This feature is quite useful for those who send specialized emails that require a different signature. 

If you want to learn how to create a signature in outlook 2013, follow these steps below.

  • Go to Files and click on ‘Option.’
  • In the options, choose ‘Signatures.’
  • There will be an option to ‘Edit Signature.’ Select it and create your own signature. 
  • The signature will be named ‘default,’ and if you want to change it, you will have to do it manually. To do so, click on the tab ‘Rename’ and enter your preferred name.
  • Next, select the email address you want this signature to be associated with. When you do so, whenever you send an email with that email address, the email signature will be added. 
  • Then you will have to decide when you want your signature to show. You can do it through the drop-down menu from ‘Menu.’
  • Select ‘Ok.’ This will save your signature.

Once you have created your signature, the next step is to ensure that it will be added to the email whenever you send it. To do so, you will need to add the signature in your Outlook 2013. Here is how to do it.

  • From the ‘Settings Gear Menu,’ select ‘Options.’   
  • Next, select ‘Mail’, and a drop-down menu will open up. From this menu, select the ‘Layout’ option.
  • The next step is to click on ‘Email SIgnature,’ and from here, you will be able to create your signature and also modify it. You can use the mini toolbar to do so.
  • To add your signature to all the outgoing emails, replies, forwards, etc. select the ‘Automatically include my signature on messages I send.’
  • Click on the ‘Save’ button to make the change.

Once you have followed these steps, your unique signature will be added to every email you send. Therefore, you will be able to reap all the benefits of email signatures.

How to add a signature in Outlook 2016

If you use Outlook 2016, adding a signature to your email is pretty simple. Furthermore, you can also edit and change your signature. Outlook allows you to change signatures so that it too evolves with you over time. Additionally, a personalized email signature adds a touch of professionalism that is always useful and appreciated by clients. Here is how to set up a signature in outlook 2016. 

  • Open your Outlook 2016 and open up ‘File.’ From here, navigate to ‘Options.’ 
  • A window will open up. Select the ‘Mail’ tab.
  • In this tab, there will be an option called ‘Signatures.’ Select it. 
  • Next, click on ‘New’ and then ‘Ok.’ Then, type the name of your signature so you can retrieve it easily later on. 
  • Now, you have to add in all the information that you want to be included with your signature. 
  • If you want your signature to be added to all of your email responses, forwards, etc., Select the tab labeled ‘Replies/forwards.’ Then select the ‘exchange’ option. This option ensures that whenever you forward, reply or compose an email, the signature will appear automatically. 
  • To save the process, select ‘Ok.’ This will also close the dialogue box.

These instructions are specifically for those who use the newer Outlook 2016. An older version is also available and if you are using that one, use the instructions for Outlook 2013.

How to add a signature in Outlook 365

How to add a signature in Outlook 365

If you want to add or create a signature for your emails and you use Outlook 365, the process is quite similar to that of 2016 and 2013. However, if you are new to Outlook, you will need to know how to add and change outlook signatures for your emails. Here is how to do it.

  • Open up your Outlook.
  • From here, if you have multiple accounts, select the account you want to add your signature in and open it up.
  • There will be an option labeled ‘File’ that will be present in the upper left corner of the window. 
  • When you click on the File, you will have to like on ‘Options’ that appears in the left pane. 
  • When the Outlook Options window opens up, click on the option labeled ‘Mail.’
  • Here, more options will open up. Select signature from the right pane. The Signatures and Stationery window will open.
  • Here, select ‘New’ to create a new signature. You will need to give it a name so that you can recognize it later on. 
  • There will be a text box below ‘Edit Signature where you can add all the text and information that you want to include as your email signature. Additionally, you can also use the formatting tools to change how it looks. You can change the font type, size, and even the style. 
  • If your information is already saved in Outlook and you would prefer to use that as your signature, you can click on ‘Business Card.’ Using this option, you can use that information as your signature.
  • When you are done creating your signature, select the ‘Save’ button. This will save the signature. 

There is also the option to create a separate signature to use on personal and official emails. To set separate signatures, follow the steps below.

  • Click on ‘New,’ and give it an appropriate name that distinguishes it from all other different signatures. Outlook allows you to create as many signatures as you want and use them while you are composing an email or forwarding it. 
  • Next, you need to set the signature as your default. To do so, select your email account in the email account section in the ‘Choose default Signature’ section. 
  • In the ‘New Message’ section, select the signature from the drop-down menu. Selecting this allows you to choose the signature that you want to use as default whenever you compose or forward a new email. 
  • If you want, you can also add this signature to all the messages you forward or reply to. For this, you have to select the signature in the ‘Replies/Forwards’ section too.
  • Next, click ‘OK’ to save all your changes. 

Now, whenever you will create a new email, forward an email or even reply to one in Outlook 365, your signature will automatically be added. Therefore you will be able to reap all the benefits of email signatures. 

How to add a logo or image to your signature

Although most email signatures do not have a logo attached to them, most companies prefer it. Having a logo attached to the signature creates a uniformity that allows a brand to stand out in a customer’s eye. Furthermore, adding a logo to your signature if you are a new company can also really help with the brand identity. 

If you wish to add a logo or image to your signature, here is how to do it.

  • Open a new message and select ‘Signature.’ 
  • Then, select the ‘Signatures’ option.
  • There will be a section labeled ‘Select signatures to edit.’ From here, choose the signature that you want to add to the logo or image to. 
  • Next, select the image icon that looks like a square with a scenery and a computer in front of it. 
  • Locate where your image file is and then select ‘Insert.’ This will add the image to your signature.
  • Outlook also offers you the option to resize your image. You can do so by right-clicking the image and choosing ‘Picture.’
  • Select the ‘Size’ tab and then use the options to resize the image to your liking. 
  • If you want to keep the image proportions intact, select the ‘Lock Aspect ratio’ checkbox. 
  • Select ‘Ok’ whenever you are done. This saves the changes you have made to the signature. 

How to insert a signature manually

How to insert a signature manually

Having Outlook insert your signature for you can be very convenient but not everyone uses different emails for different tasks. If you use the same email for personal tasks, you wouldn’t want your work signature to show up. Therefore, you also have the option to add your signature manually whenever you want. To add a signature to your email manually, follow these steps.

  • When you are done with your email, select the ‘Message’ tab.
  • Next, select ‘Signature.’
  • From the fly-out menu that opens up, choose the signature that you want to add. If you have added multiple, you can easily make your choice here. 

Once you have selected your signature, it will appear on the email you were working on. 

FAQs

How to change outlook signature?

Knowing how to change an email signature in outlook is important when you manage different email accounts with different signatures. However, changing an Outlook signature is quite simple. Just follow these steps.

  • Click on ‘Files’ and then navigate to ‘Mail’ and then to ‘Signatures.’
  • Select the signature you want to edit and make those changes in the ‘Edit Signature’ box.
  • Once you are done, select ‘Save’ and then ‘Okay.’

How to edit signature in outlook?

If you want to edit your email signature in Outlook, follow the steps below.

  • Open Outlook
  • Select the Home tab and click on the ‘Edit Email Signature’ option. 
  • A pop-up form opens up that allows you to edit all the information in your signature. From here, you can select the information that you want to add, remove or change.
  • When you are done, you can preview it by selecting the ‘Preview Email Signature’ option.
  • When you are satisfied, select ‘Finish setup’

Why can’t I edit my email signature in Outlook 365?

Sometimes, the signature button under the Layout menu that allows you to edit your email signature is missing. Due to this, you are unable to make any changes to your email signature. This can be very troublesome and the most probable cause is the OWA policy that may be blocking this feature for you. To fix it, follow these steps.

  • Access the ‘Exchange Admin Center’ and navigate to the permissions sections
  • In this section, select the ‘Outlook Web App policies’ tab that appears in the top menu. From here, select the policy that is in action. Once you have done so, edit it.
  • When you are done, navigate to the ‘Features’ tab and underneath it, select ‘More options.’ 
  • From the window that opens, in the ‘User Experience’ section, select the ‘Email signature’ checkbox.

Now you should be able to edit your email signature. 

Conclusion

Knowing how to add and change your email signature is very important because you don’t want to be stuck with the same one throughout your professional life. There will be times when you need to edit your signature to fit your new position or new company so on. Thus, this article offers you all the ways you can add or change your signature if you use Outlook 365, Outlook 2013, or even Outlook 2016.

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By Abdul Wahab

Abdul Wahab is a Software Engineer by profession and a Tech geek by nature. Having been associated with the tech industry for the last five years, he has covered a wide range of Tech topics and produced well-researched and engaging content. You will mostly find him reviewing tech products and writing blog posts. Binge-watching tech reviews and endlessly reading tech blogs are his favorite hobbies.

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