Gmail signatures go in your Settings and take about two minutes to set up

A Gmail signature is a block of text that appears automatically at the bottom of every email you send. It usually contains your name, job title, phone number, or website — whatever you want people to see when they read your message. You create it once in Gmail Settings, and then it attaches itself to every outgoing email without you having to type it again.

The signature lives in your account settings, not in the email itself. That means you can change it anytime, and the change applies to all future emails. You can also create multiple signatures and pick which one to use for each message, or set a default one that appears automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Gmail Settings by clicking the gear icon in the top right, then select "See all settings" and go to the Signatures tab.
  • Click "Create new" to add a signature, give it a name, type your text or paste formatted content, and click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
  • You can set a default signature that appears on all new emails, or leave the default blank and choose a signature for each message manually.
  • Signatures work the same way on desktop, phone, and tablet — the signature you create appears on all devices where you use that Gmail account.

Step-by-step: Creating your first signature

Start by opening Gmail and clicking the gear icon in the top right corner. A dropdown menu appears. Click "See all settings" at the bottom of that menu. You'll land on the General tab of your Settings page.

Scroll down until you see the "Signature" section. Click the blue "Create new" button. A text box appears where you can type your signature. Give it a name first — something like "Work" or "Personal" — so you can tell your signatures apart if you make more than one. Then click in the large text box below and type what you want your signature to say.

You can type plain text, or you can paste formatted text from a document. Gmail lets you bold, italicize, underline, change font size, add links, and even insert a small image or logo. Once you're happy with how it looks, scroll to the very bottom of the Settings page and click "Save Changes." Your signature is now created.

Choosing whether your signature appears automatically

After you create a signature, Gmail asks whether you want it to be your default. If you set a signature as default, it appears automatically on every new email you compose. You don't have to do anything — it's just there.

If you don't set a default, you can still use your signature on individual emails. When you compose a new message, look for a small arrow or menu near the bottom left of the compose box. Click it and select which signature you want to add to that email. This approach is useful if you have multiple signatures — for example, one for work and one for personal use — and you want to choose which one fits each message.

You can change your default signature anytime by going back to Settings and picking a different one. You can also remove the default entirely and always choose manually.

Adding formatting, links, and images to your signature

Gmail's signature editor includes basic formatting tools. Highlight text in your signature and use the buttons above the text box to make it bold, italic, or underlined. You can also change the font, font size, and text color. These tools work the same way they do in the email compose box.

To add a link, type the text you want to appear (like your website name), highlight it, and click the link icon. Paste the web address in the box that appears and click "OK." The text now links to that address when someone clicks it in your signature.

To add an image or logo, click the image icon in the toolbar. You can upload a file from your computer, search Google Images, or paste a URL. Keep images small — a logo or headshot should be no wider than 200 pixels so it doesn't make your signature take up too much space in the email.

Signatures on mobile devices and other computers

The signature you create in Gmail Settings appears on every device where you sign into that Gmail account. If you compose an email on your phone, the signature is there. If you use Gmail on a tablet or a different computer, the signature is there too. You don't have to set it up separately anywhere.

On the Gmail app for iPhone or Android, you can't edit your signature from the app itself. You have to go to gmail.com in a web browser on your phone, open Settings, and make changes there. Once you save them, the updated signature shows up in the app right away.

Common signature mistakes to avoid

Don't include a signature in your signature. Some people type "Sent from my iPhone" or similar text into their signature, not realizing Gmail or their email app already adds that automatically. You'll end up with it twice.

Don't make your signature longer than four or five lines. Long signatures can look unprofessional and waste space in emails, especially on phones where every line takes up more room. Stick to your name, title, phone number, and website if you have one.

Don't use special characters or symbols that might not display correctly on other people's devices. Stick to letters, numbers, hyphens, and parentheses. If you want to add a decorative line or separator, use a straightforward dash or underscore instead of fancy Unicode symbols.

Changing or deleting a signature

To edit a signature you've already created, go back to Settings, find the Signatures section, and click on the signature name. Make your changes in the text box and click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page. The updated signature appears on all new emails from that point forward.

To delete a signature, open Settings, find the signature in the list, and click the trash icon next to it. If that signature was your default, Gmail removes it as the default too. You can create a new one anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different signatures for different email addresses if I use Gmail for multiple accounts?

Yes. Each Gmail account has its own Settings, so you can create different signatures for each one. When you switch between accounts in Gmail, the signature for that account appears automatically. You set them up the same way — just make sure you're in the right account's Settings before you create the signature.

What if I don't want a signature on a particular email?

If you have a default signature set, you can delete it from the compose box before you send. Click in the signature area at the bottom of your email and select all the text (Ctrl+A on Windows, Command+A on Mac), then delete it. The email sends without a signature. If you don't have a default signature, just don't add one when you compose the message.

Can I use HTML code in my signature?

Gmail's signature editor doesn't let you paste raw HTML. However, you can use the formatting buttons to create the look you want. If you need advanced formatting that the buttons don't offer, you can create the signature in a document, style it there, copy it, and paste it into Gmail. Gmail will preserve most of the formatting.

Does my signature appear on emails I forward or reply to?

Yes. When you reply to or forward an email, your signature appears at the bottom of your message, below the original text. If you don't want it on a particular reply, you can delete it before sending, the same way you would on a new email.

What happens to my signature if I change my Gmail password?

Your signature stays exactly as it is. Changing your password doesn't affect your Settings or any signatures you've created. They remain in your account and continue to appear on your emails.