Quick answer
- Open Gmail on a computer and click the gear icon at the top right.
- Click See all settings.
- On the General tab, scroll down to Signature and click Create new.
- Name the signature, then type or paste it into the box.
- Set it as the default for new emails and for replies.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes.
No signature yet? Make one in about a minute with our free email signature generator. It’s free, with no sign-up, and its Copy button puts the signature on your clipboard ready for Gmail.
Make the signature first
You can type a signature straight into Gmail, but Gmail’s box is a plain text editor with a few formatting buttons. A photo, a logo, social icons or a booking button are easier to build somewhere else and paste in.
Our free email signature generator has 36 designs. You answer a few questions (name, job title, company, phone), pick a design, and click Copy signature. The copy is the finished signature, ready to paste, with images loading from web addresses so they show up for the people you email.
We pasted generator signatures into Gmail on a computer. The photo, the colored header, rounded corners, social icons, the button and the small logo all came through. That’s the result in Gmail on the web; always send yourself a test email after saving.
How to add a signature in Gmail on a computer
These are the steps in Gmail on the web, in any browser, on Windows or Mac.
- Open Gmail and click the gear icon (Settings) at the top right.
- Click See all settings.
- Stay on the General tab and scroll down to the Signature section.
- Click Create new, give the signature a name (for example “Work”), and confirm.
- Type your signature in the box, or paste the one you copied from the generator. You can format text and add an image with the buttons above the box.
- Choose when to use it: as the default for new emails, for replies and forwards, or both.
- Scroll to the very bottom of the page and click Save Changes. If you leave without saving, the signature is lost.
Gmail allows up to 10,000 characters in a signature, and an image counts toward that limit (Google’s help page).
Set it for new emails and for replies
Under the signature box, Gmail lets you pick a default signature for new emails and another for emails you reply to. If your signature appears on new emails but not on replies, the reply default is usually set to “No signature”. Pick your signature there, then click Save Changes.
Paste a generator signature the right way
- In the generator, click Copy signature. (Use “Copy HTML” only for Outlook desktop or an email platform that asks for HTML code.)
- In Gmail’s signature box, click once and paste with Ctrl+V (Windows) or Cmd+V (Mac).
- Wait a second for the images to appear in the box.
- Click Save Changes at the bottom, then send yourself a test email.
Don’t paste into the box with “Paste as plain text” (Ctrl+Shift+V): that removes the layout and images.
How to add a signature in the Gmail app
The Gmail app has its own optional “mobile signature”. It’s added to emails you send from the app.
Android
- Open the Gmail app and tap Menu (the three lines, top left).
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Settings.
- Choose the Google Account you want to add a signature to.
- Tap Mobile signature, type your signature and tap OK.
iPhone and iPad
- Open the Gmail app and tap Menu, then Settings.
- Under “Compose and Reply”, tap Signature settings.
- Turn on Mobile Signature and type your signature.
- Tap Back to save. With more than one account in the app, do this for each account.
If you don’t create a mobile signature, Google says new messages from the app use the signature you set up on your computer. The mobile box is for typed text, so to keep your photo and logo on emails from your phone, set the full signature on a computer and leave the mobile one empty.
Use more than one signature
You can save several signatures, for example a full one for new emails and a short one for replies, or one per business.
- Create each one with Create new in Settings, then set the defaults for new emails and replies.
- Switch while writing: at the bottom of the compose window, click the pen icon (Insert signature) and pick a different one.
- Different addresses: if you send from more than one address through “Send mail as”, use the drop-down above the signature box to give each address its own signature. If the drop-down is missing, check Accounts and Import → “Send mail as”.
How to change or delete your Gmail signature
To change it: gear icon → See all settings → General → scroll to Signature → click the signature’s name → edit it in the box → Save Changes at the bottom. To rename it, click Edit next to the name.
To replace it with a new design: make the new one in the generator, click Copy signature, then in Gmail select everything in the old signature’s box, paste over it and Save Changes.
To delete it: click the signature, click the Delete (trash) icon, confirm, then Save Changes.
Add a logo or image to your Gmail signature
Click the image button above the signature box. Google gives you three ways to add it:
- Web address (URL): a link to an image that is already online, like the logo on your website. This is the most reliable way, because the image loads for everyone.
- My Drive: an image in Google Drive. It has to be shared publicly (“Anyone with the link” can view), or it won’t show. Work and school accounts may not be allowed to share files publicly.
- Upload: an image from your computer.
Size: Google recommends about 70 to 100 pixels high and 300 to 400 pixels wide, with a maximum of 100 by 1,000 pixels. After adding it, click the image to choose Small, Medium, Large or Original size.
Signatures made in our generator already load their images from web addresses, so the photo and icons are there when you paste.
Gmail signature not working?
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No signature on new emails | Not saved, or no default set | Settings → Signature → set it for new emails → Save Changes at the bottom |
| Signature on new emails but not replies | Reply default is “No signature” | Pick your signature for replies → Save Changes |
| Signature looks broken or has extra characters | Formatting carried over badly, or an oversized image | Select it and use Remove formatting, or resize the image |
| Can’t format text; “Plain Text” shows above the box | Plain text mode is on | In a compose window, open More options and untick Plain text mode |
| Image won’t show | Image isn’t public, or a browser cache problem | Use a public image link or share the Drive file publicly; clear the cache and cookies for mail.google.com, or try another browser |
| Signature “missing” in a sent email | Gmail hides repeated text | Click the three dots (Show trimmed content) at the bottom of the message |
| Not on emails from your phone | A different mobile signature is set | Edit or clear the app’s Mobile signature |
More fixes are in Google’s signature troubleshooting page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a signature in Gmail?
On a computer, click the gear icon, then See all settings. On the General tab, scroll to Signature, click Create new, name it and type or paste your signature. Set it as the default for new emails and replies, then click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
How do I change my signature in Gmail?
Open Settings, See all settings, General, and scroll to Signature. Click the signature’s name, edit it in the box (or paste a new one over it), and click Save Changes at the bottom. The change applies to emails you write from then on.
Can I use the same Gmail signature on my computer and phone?
Yes. If you don’t set a mobile signature in the Gmail app, Google says new messages from the app use the signature you set on your computer. That’s the easiest way to keep your photo and logo on every email.
How do I have more than one signature in Gmail?
Click Create new in the Signature section for each one, then choose which is the default for new emails and for replies. While writing an email, click the pen icon at the bottom of the compose window to switch to another signature.
Why is my Gmail signature not showing up?
Usually it wasn’t saved (Save Changes is at the very bottom of the settings page), or no default is set for new emails or replies. On sent emails it may be hidden: click the three dots at the bottom of the message to show trimmed content.
Why isn’t the image in my Gmail signature showing?
The image has to be publicly available. Use a link to an image that’s online, or share the Google Drive file so anyone with the link can view it. Keep it around 70 to 100 pixels high, and clear your browser cache if it still won’t load.
Can I paste an HTML signature into Gmail?
Gmail’s box doesn’t take raw HTML code, but it keeps the formatting when you paste a finished signature. Copy it from a page (our generator’s Copy signature button does this) and paste with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V, not as plain text. Then send yourself a test.
How long can a Gmail signature be?
Up to 10,000 characters, and an image counts toward that limit. If Gmail shows an error when you save, make the image smaller or shorten the text.
Next steps
- Make your signature with the free generator: 36 designs, Copy button, no sign-up.
- Want ideas? See email signature examples for realtors, loan officers, insurance agents and more.
- Use Outlook too? See how to add or change a signature in Outlook.
- Before you hit send, run the email through our free email spam checker.
- Want your emails to land in the inbox? Read our email deliverability guide.