What to include in an email signature
A good signature answers two questions: who is this, and how do I reach them or see their work? Four or five lines is plenty.
- Your name and job title, plus your company if you have one
- One phone number, if you want calls
- Your website, or a link-in-bio page with everything else
- Two or three social profiles you actually post on
- A small photo or your initials, optional
Why email signatures use tables
Email apps aren't browsers. Outlook on Windows uses Microsoft Word to draw emails, and Gmail strips out style sheets, so layouts built with modern CSS fall apart. The reliable way is old-school HTML: tables for layout, with styles written inline on each element.
That's how this generator builds your signature. It sticks to Arial and Helvetica because custom fonts don't load in most email apps, and it escapes everything you type, so a name with & or < in it can't break the code.
Adding it to Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail
Use Copy signature, which puts the formatted version on your clipboard, then paste it here:
- Gmail: Settings, See all settings, General, Signature. Create a new one, paste, and save changes at the bottom.
- Outlook on the web and new Outlook: Settings, Accounts, Signatures. Paste and save.
- Apple Mail on Mac: Mail, Settings, Signatures. Paste, then untick "Always match my default message font" so your styles stay.
- iPhone Mail: Settings, Apps, Mail, Signature. It keeps only simple formatting, so expect a plainer version there.
Photos and images in signatures
Signature images are linked from the web, not attached, so use a public image URL such as the profile picture on your website. Keep it small: 72 to 100 pixels on screen is enough. Leave the photo blank and the signature shows your initials in your accent colour, which needs no image at all.
Some email apps hide images until the reader allows them. Never put your phone number or other key details only inside an image, and send a test to a friend on a different email app before you rely on it.
Skip big banners, quotes and legal text you don't need. Long signatures get clipped in replies, and in Gmail a very long email can be cut off with a "View entire message" link.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add an HTML signature to Gmail?
Click Copy signature here, then in Gmail open Settings, See all settings, and scroll to Signature. Create a new signature, paste, and click Save changes at the bottom of the page.
Why does my signature look different in Outlook?
Outlook on Windows ignores some styles, like rounded corners. This signature uses tables and inline styles so the layout holds, though a round photo may show square there.
Can I add social media icons?
This generator uses text links for socials. Icons are images, which many email apps block until the reader clicks to show them, while text links always show and always work.
How long should an email signature be?
Four or five lines. Include your name, role, one or two ways to reach you and a link to everything else.
Is this email signature generator free?
Yes, with no sign-up and no branding added to your signature. Everything runs in your browser.