How to edit your signature in Outlook across the desktop and web applications.

Your email signature allows you to showcase professional information about yourself and your company whenever you send messages. An updated, attractive signature also presents a positive image to recipients. That’s why it’s important to know how to edit your signature in Outlook across the desktop and web applications.

 

 

With Outlook being the world’s most popular email platform, optimizing your signature directly in Outlook makes it seamless to update and append to all outgoing emails. This guide will walk through simple steps to customize your existing Outlook signature or create an effective new one.

We’ll cover:

• Signature basics
• Editing in Outlook desktop
• Updating in Outlook web
• Adding images
• Formatting tips
• Syncing signatures

Let’s begin designing an outstanding email signature to represent your personal brand!

Signature Basics

A professional email signature contains vital contact information to be appended to the bottom of every email. Typical elements include:

Full Name and Job Title
Display your name prominently along with position to establish credibility.

Company Name
Provide name of organization for context.

Contact Info
List phone numbers, email address, website URLs for easy access.

Social Media
Link to profiles on networks like LinkedIn to further connections.

Personalization Images, quotes or branding colors make it uniquely you.

Signatures keep your information handy for recipients and promote your brand.

Edit Signature in Outlook Desktop

Outlook desktop provides built-in tools to quickly customize your signature. Here are the key steps:

1. Open a new email message
2. Select the Message tab
3. Click Signatures > Signatures…
4. Select your existing signature or New to create
5. Give signature a Name
6. Choose signature Style – formal, friendly, text, etc.
7. Toggle on the signatures to associate with new messages and replies/forwards
8. Enter or modify the signature in the box using formatting tools
9. Click OK to save

Your updated signature will now be appended to the end of new emails sent in Outlook desktop automatically.

Update Signature in Outlook Web

If you use the browser-based Outlook email portal, the process is just as easy:

1. Click Settings icon > View all Outlook settings
2. Select Mail > Compose and reply
3. Scroll down to Email signature section
4. Enter or modify signature in the text box
5. Click Save at the bottom

This will update the default signature applied to all emails composed in web app.

Add Images to Signature

Visuals in an email signature make it more engaging and memorable. To embed images like headshots or logos in Outlook signatures:

1. Host images online or upload to cloud storage
2. Copy the URL of the image
3. Click the image icon when editing HTML signature
4. Paste the image URL in prompt
5. Set desired size, height and alt text

This inserts a linked image others can click while keeping signature size manageable.

Handy Formatting Tips

Use these formatting recommendations to make your signature super professional:

• Set font to 10-12 pt size to keep compact
• Use no more than 2-3 font styles
• Align text left with even margins
• Insert line breaks between sections
• Set company name to bold font
• Make URLs hyperlinked
• Limit to 4-5 lines of text

Applying clean formatting ensures readability while presenting an orderly appearance.

Sync Signatures on Devices

To ensure your new or updated Outlook signature is consistent across desktop, web and mobile:

1. Finalize signature in Outlook desktop application
2. Click File > Account Settings > Account Settings…
3. Select account with signature
4. Click Change > More Settings
5. Enable Share calendars and email signatures
6. Click Download > Upload

Now your signature is synced and accessible on all platforms.

Extra Signature Tips

• Create separate signatures for internal or external emails
• Translate signature if emailing internationally
• Occasionally reconfirm info remains up-to-date
• Set “Sent from mobile” automatic tag if emailing remotely
• Add disclaimer mentioning confidentiality or security

Keeping your professional email signature polished gives consistent branding while keeping vital contact details available.

Common Questions about Updating Signatures

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

What’s the ideal length for an email signature?

Stick to 4-5 lines or around 5 sentences. Include only essential contact information to keep signatures concise.

What elements are absolutely necessary?

Name, job title, phone number and email address are core components. Company and mailing address are also recommended.

Is adding an inspirational quote or emoji appropriate?

While signatures can reflect personality, professional correspondence should remain polite and formal. Save casual elements for internal or one-on-one communicating.

How often should you update your signature?

Review signatures every 6 months for outdated information or formatting issues. Update immediately whenever you switch roles or companies.

Can signatures have their own branding and fonts?

Some companies dictate signature format standards to employees. If you have creative liberty, tasteful colors, fonts and images can uniquely brand signatures.

The key to an email signature is concise, up-to-date contact information paired with easy readability. Formatting it attractively mirrors your personal and company branding. Implement these Outlook signature tips to enhance professional communications through perfectly optimized signatures.