SignatureAI

How to add a signature in Gmail

Gmail's signature lives in Settings, not in the compose window. It takes about a minute on a computer. The Gmail phone apps have a separate, text-only signature, covered further down.

On a computer (gmail.com)

  1. Build your signature in the generator and press Copy signature. (Or type one straight into Gmail's box.)
  2. In Gmail, click the gear icon at the top right, then See all settings.
  3. Stay on the General tab and scroll down to Signature.
  4. Click Create new, give it a name only you see (e.g. "Work"), and click Create.
  5. Click in the editor box and paste with Ctrl+V (⌘+V on a Mac). The formatting, links and hosted images come across.
  6. Under Signature defaults, choose it for For new emails use and, if you want, On reply/forward use.
  7. Scroll to the very bottom of the page and click Save Changes. Easy to miss: nothing is saved until you do.

Open a new message to check it. If you have several addresses set up under "Send mail as", each can have its own default: the defaults section has a dropdown for the address.

Images in a Gmail signature

Gmail only keeps images that come from a public web address. Pasting a signature that contains a hosted image (an https:// URL) works; dragging a file in from your desktop does not. The image toolbar button in the signature editor accepts a URL or a file from Google Drive; Drive images must be shared publicly or recipients see a broken image.

Gmail loads every image through its own proxy, so changing the file on your server later may take a while to show for people who have already seen it.

In the Gmail app (Android and iPhone)

The apps support only a plain-text signature, with no images or links styled as buttons.

  • Android: open the menu (☰) > Settings > tap your account > Mobile signature. Type it and tap OK.
  • iPhone and iPad: menu (☰) > Settings > your account > Signature settings, turn on Mobile Signature and type it.

Use the generator's Copy plain text button to get a clean text version. Behaviour when the mobile signature is empty varies by app version, and Google has changed it over time: send yourself a test from the phone to see whether your computer signature is added.

Google Workspace accounts

If your company uses Google Workspace, an administrator may set signatures centrally, or disable editing. Admins can paste the generator's Copy HTML output into third-party signature tools or the Gmail API; there's no HTML field in the Admin console itself.

Questions people ask

Why is my Gmail signature not showing images?

Usually because the image was pasted as an embedded file rather than linked from a public URL. Gmail removes embedded (base64) images from signatures. Host the image on a website and insert it by URL, or build the signature in our generator with an image URL and paste it.

Is there a character limit for Gmail signatures?

Yes, 10,000 characters, and that includes the HTML behind the formatting. A table-based signature with a photo, logo and a few links typically uses 3,000–6,000.

Can I have different signatures in Gmail?

Yes. Create as many as you like, then pick a default for new emails and another for replies. You can switch signatures per message with the pen icon in the compose toolbar.

Why does my signature not appear in the Gmail app?

The Gmail apps for Android and iPhone use their own plain-text "mobile signature". If you set one, it is what appears on emails sent from the phone. Send yourself a test to see what your app version does when it is empty.

How do I put the signature above the quoted text in replies?

In Settings > General > Signature, tick "Insert signature before quoted text in replies and remove the '--' line that precedes it", then Save Changes.