What a Gmail signature is and why you might want one

A Gmail signature is a block of text that appears at the bottom of every email you send. It typically includes your name, job title, phone number, or website — anything you want readers to see without typing it each time. Gmail lets you create one signature for all your mail, or different signatures for different email addresses if you have multiple accounts.

A signature saves time if you send a lot of email, and it gives your messages a more professional appearance. It also means your contact information travels with every message without you having to type it out.

Key Takeaways

  • You create a signature in Gmail Settings under the "Signature" section, which you reach by clicking the gear icon and selecting "See all settings".
  • Gmail signatures support basic formatting like bold, italics, links, and line breaks, but not images or custom fonts.
  • You can create multiple signatures and choose which one to use for each email, or set a default signature that appears automatically.
  • If you have multiple Gmail accounts, each account has its own signature settings.

How to access Gmail signature settings

Open Gmail in your web browser. In the top right corner, click the gear icon. A dropdown menu will appear. Click "See all settings" at the bottom of that menu.

The Settings page will open. Click the "Signature" tab near the top. This is where you create and manage all your signatures.

Creating your first signature

In the Signature section, you will see a text box labeled "Create new". Click inside that box and type the text you want to appear at the bottom of your emails. This might be your name, title, phone number, website, or any combination of these.

As you type, you can use the formatting toolbar above the text box to make text bold, italic, or underlined. You can also create links, add bullet points, or adjust text alignment. When you are done, scroll down and click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page.

Formatting options available in Gmail signatures

Gmail signatures support the following formatting:

  • Bold, italic, and underline — Select text and click the B, I, or U button in the toolbar.
  • Links — Highlight text, click the link icon, and paste a URL. Readers can click the text to visit that address.
  • Text color — Select text and click the "A" with a colored line underneath to change text color.
  • Bullet points and numbered lists — Click the list icon to create a bulleted or numbered list.
  • Text alignment — Use the alignment buttons to left-align, center, or right-align your text.
  • Line breaks — Press Enter to move text to a new line.

Gmail does not support images, custom fonts, or background colors in signatures. If you paste an image into the signature box, Gmail will remove it when you save.

Creating multiple signatures for different purposes

If you want different signatures for different types of email, you can create more than one. In the Signature section, click "Create new" again to add a second signature. Give it a name in the box that appears — for example, "Work" or "Casual" — and type the text you want for that signature.

When you compose a new email, a dropdown menu will appear near the bottom of the compose window showing all your signatures. Click the one you want to use for that email. If you set a default signature, it will appear automatically, but you can still change it before sending.

Setting a default signature

If you have created multiple signatures, you can choose one to appear automatically in every new email. In the Signature section of Settings, look for the dropdown menu next to each signature name. Select which signature should be your default.

When you write a new email, your default signature will appear at the bottom. If you want to use a different signature for that email, click the signature dropdown in the compose window and select another one. The change applies only to that email.

Signatures for multiple Gmail accounts

If you have more than one Gmail account, each account has separate signature settings. To change the signature for a different account, click your profile picture in the top right corner of Gmail and select the other account. Then go back to Settings and the Signature tab — you will be editing that account's signature, not your first one.

This means you can have a professional signature on your work account and a casual one on your personal account, and Gmail will keep them separate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add an image or logo to my Gmail signature?

No. Gmail does not support images in signatures. If you paste an image into the signature box, Gmail removes it when you save. You can include a link to a website or a text description instead.

Will my signature appear in emails I forward or reply to?

Yes. Your signature appears at the bottom of new emails, replies, and forwards. If you reply to a long email thread, your signature will be added below your reply text.

Can I use different signatures for different recipients?

Not automatically. You create signatures and choose which one to use each time you send an email. Gmail does not have a feature to assign specific signatures to specific people or groups.

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

Your signature stays the same. Changing your password does not affect your signature settings. Your signature is stored separately from your account security.

Can I add HTML code to my signature?

No. Gmail does not allow you to paste raw HTML into the signature box. Use the formatting toolbar instead to create bold text, links, and lists.