Gmail Email Signature Setup: Step-by-Step Tutorial with Templates

TL;DR: To add an email signature in Gmail, go to Settings (gear icon) > See all settings > General > Signature. Create a new signature, add your information, and set it as default for new emails and replies. Save changes at the bottom of the page.

Gmail is the world's most popular email platform, used by over 1.8 billion people. Whether you use a personal Gmail account or Google Workspace for business, adding a professional signature takes just a few minutes.

This guide walks you through every step, from basic setup to advanced customization.

How to Create a Gmail Signature (Desktop)

Step 1: Open Gmail Settings

1. Go to mail.google.com and sign in
2. Click the gear icon in the upper right corner
3. Click See all settings

Step 2: Navigate to Signature Section

1. Make sure you're on the General tab
2. Scroll down to find the Signature section
3. Click Create new

Step 3: Name Your Signature

Give your signature a descriptive name like:

• "Work - Full"
• "Personal"
• "Reply Only"

This name is only visible to you and helps manage multiple signatures.

Step 4: Design Your Signature

Use Gmail's built-in editor to add:

Text formatting:

• Bold, italic, underline
• Font size (small, normal, large, huge)
• Text color and highlight
• Alignment (left, center, right)

Content to include:

• Your full name
• Job title
• Company name
• Phone number
• Website URL (highlight text, click link icon)

Images:

• Click the image icon in the toolbar
• Upload from computer or paste URL
• Resize by clicking and dragging corners

Step 5: Set Default Signatures

Below the editor, you'll see dropdown menus:

"For new emails use:" Select your full signature

"On reply/forward use:" Select a shorter signature or "no signature"

Step 6: Save Changes

Scroll to the bottom of the settings page and click Save Changes. Gmail will return you to your inbox with the new signature active.

Adding Images to Your Gmail Signature

Adding a Company Logo

1. In the signature editor, position your cursor where you want the logo
2. Click the image icon in the toolbar
3. Choose how to add the image:
   • Upload: Select from your computer
   • URL: Paste a web address
   • Drive: Select from Google Drive

Pro tip: For best results, host your logo on your company website and use the URL option. This ensures the image always loads correctly.

Adding a Profile Photo

1. Prepare a square image (200x200px recommended)
2. Upload or link the image
3. Click the image to resize
4. Drag corners to adjust dimensions

Recommended size: 80-100px square for profile photos

Image Troubleshooting

Image not appearing:

• Check if the URL is publicly accessible
• Verify the image isn't too large (under 50KB works best)
• Try a different image format (PNG or JPG)

Image too large:

• Click on the image in the editor
• Drag the corners to resize
• Gmail doesn't offer precise pixel control, so estimate visually

Gmail Signature on Mobile

Gmail App (iOS)

1. Open the Gmail app
2. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines)
3. Scroll down and tap Settings
4. Select your email account
5. Tap Signature settings
6. Toggle on Mobile Signature
7. Enter your signature text
8. Tap the back arrow to save

Limitation: The Gmail mobile app doesn't support HTML signatures or images. Your signature will be plain text only.

Gmail App (Android)

1. Open Gmail and tap the menu icon
2. Tap Settings
3. Select your account
4. Tap Mobile Signature
5. Enter your signature text
6. Tap OK

Android tip: For a richer mobile signature, compose emails in the Gmail app but manage signatures in Gmail web on a browser.

Mobile Signature Workaround

To use your full signature on mobile:

1. Create your full signature in Gmail web
2. Set it as default for new emails and replies
3. When composing on mobile, the signature from web settings appears

This works because Gmail syncs signature settings across devices when you use the Gmail app with your account signed in.

Google Workspace Signatures

Individual Setup

Google Workspace users set up signatures the same way as personal Gmail:

1. Open Gmail
2. Settings > See all settings > General > Signature
3. Create and save your signature

Admin-Managed Signatures

Google Workspace admins can set default signatures for the organization:

1. Go to admin.google.com
2. Navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > User settings
3. Scroll to Signature section
4. Create a template with placeholders
5. Apply to organizational units

Available placeholders:

• {{User.FirstName}}
• {{User.LastName}}
• {{User.Title}}
• {{User.PhoneNumber}}
• {{User.Department}}

Note: Admin-managed signatures have limited formatting. For advanced designs, use a third-party signature management tool.

Multiple Signatures in Gmail

Gmail supports multiple signatures for different contexts.

Creating Additional Signatures

1. In signature settings, click Create new
2. Name it descriptively (e.g., "Sales Outreach")
3. Design the signature
4. Save changes

Switching Between Signatures

When composing an email:

1. Click the pen icon at the bottom of the compose window
2. Select Insert signature
3. Choose from your saved signatures

Suggested Signature Strategy

Signature Name	Use Case	Content
Full	New emails	Logo, all contact info, social links
Reply	Replies/forwards	Name, title, phone only
Personal	Non-work emails	Name and personal website
Sales	Prospect outreach	CTA button, calendar link

Gmail Signature Templates

Simple Professional

With Logo (Two-Column)

Sales Focused

Creative/Agency

Troubleshooting Common Gmail Signature Issues

Signature Not Appearing

Check default settings:

1. Go to Settings > General > Signature
2. Verify your signature is selected for "New emails"
3. Ensure "On reply/forward use" isn't set to "No signature"

Check compose mode:

1. In Settings > General, find "Default reply behavior"
2. Ensure "Reply" is selected (not "Reply all" issues)

Signature Formatting Changes

Problem: Signature looks different than designed.

Solutions:

• Use web-safe fonts only (Arial, Verdana, Georgia)
• Avoid complex formatting
• Test by sending to yourself

Images Not Displaying

Problem: Recipients see broken image icons.

Solutions:

• Host images on a publicly accessible URL
• Avoid Google Drive links (often blocked)
• Check image file size (under 50KB)
• Ensure URL starts with https://

Signature Too Long

Problem: Gmail warns about signature length.

Solutions:

• Reduce image file sizes
• Remove unnecessary lines
• Use plain text instead of HTML when possible
• Limit to 4-6 lines of content

Signature Duplicating

Problem: Signature appears twice in replies.

Solutions:

1. Check if you have signature set for both "new emails" AND "replies"
2. Disable "Insert signature before quoted text" option
3. Verify you're not manually inserting signature on top of automatic one

Gmail Signature Best Practices

Keep It Concise

• 4-6 lines maximum
• Essential info only
• One phone number
• One website link

Optimize for Mobile

• 50% of emails are read on mobile
• Use larger tap targets for links
• Avoid tiny images that disappear on small screens
• Test on your phone before deploying

Match Your Brand

• Use company-approved colors
• Include official logo (correct version)
• Match the style of your organization
• Stay consistent with teammates

Consider Your Audience

• Professional for B2B
• Friendly for consumer brands
• Minimal for internal emails
• Detailed for sales and support roles

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add a logo to my Gmail signature?

In Gmail signature settings, click the image icon in the editor toolbar. You can upload an image from your computer, paste an image URL, or select from Google Drive. For best results, use a URL from your company website and keep the logo under 200px wide.

Can I have different signatures for different Gmail accounts?

Yes. If you have multiple Gmail accounts, each has its own signature settings. Open Gmail for each account, go to Settings > General > Signature, and create signatures for that specific account. You can also add multiple signatures within each account for different purposes.

Why does my Gmail signature look different when received?

Gmail signatures can render differently in other email clients (Outlook, Apple Mail). Use web-safe fonts, avoid complex formatting, and test by sending emails to friends using different email platforms. Table-based HTML signatures tend to be more consistent.

How do I add a signature on the Gmail mobile app?

Open the Gmail app, tap Menu > Settings > [your account] > Mobile Signature (or Signature settings on iOS). Note that mobile Gmail only supports plain text signatures. For HTML signatures with images, create them in Gmail web, where they'll sync to your mobile-composed emails.

Can my organization control Gmail signatures for everyone?

Yes, Google Workspace admins can set organization-wide signatures through the Admin Console (admin.google.com). Go to Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > User settings > Signature. However, admin-managed signatures have limited formatting options compared to third-party tools.

Key Takeaways

• Create signatures in Settings > See all settings > General
• Use different signatures for new emails vs. replies
• Host images externally for reliable display
• Mobile Gmail supports text-only signatures
• Google Workspace admins can set organization defaults
• Test your signature across Gmail, Outlook, and mobile

Create Professional Gmail Signatures

Setting up the perfect Gmail signature can be tricky, especially for teams that need consistent branding. Signkit makes it easy to design professional signatures that work perfectly in Gmail and everywhere else.

Create your Gmail signature