[Update]: The problem with the new Outlook seems to be fixed. While drag-and-drop still works, you should also be able to set up your email signature with a simple copy-and-paste.
Setting up email signatures can be a headache. Especially in the new Outlook for Windows. Fortunately, there is a simple way to do this. I’ll show you how to add a professional email signature to the new Outlook. This method works every time and once you see it, you won’t believe how easy it is.
What’s a professional email signature?
A professional email signature adds a human touch to your digital communication. It needs to look good and provide alternative ways to reach you. It’s a good sign that people want to know who they’re talking to. It means you’re on the right track. And to show them who you are, you might want to add a link to your LinkedIn profile. You could also add a marketing banner to let them know about a promo offer you’re running. A photo and logo helps too, so that they know they’re not having conversations with an AI.
But why am I mentioning this? Well, to have a professional email signature which includes those elements, you need to have it coded in HTML, so that it works in all email clients used to view your emails.
The easiest way to design a working email signature
HTML code for email signatures is not quite the same as the code used for websites. Email clients have a different parsing engine and trying to use the same methods you’d use for developing websites usually ends in failure.
That’s why it’s easiest to use a dedicated tool, designed to work with email signatures.
The free signature generator is the perfect tool if you just want a signature for yourself.
To design a signature in the generator, choose any signature template and fill it in with your data. The steps are really easy and if you run into any issues, its user’s manual has all the answers.
The generator works with all email clients. To use it with the new Outlook for Windows, choose New Outlook as your platform. When you’re happy with your design, click Apply your signature.
And here’s how to add a signature, because this part isn’t as obvious. You might want to minimize the generator for the time being.
Add a signature to the new Outlook for Windows
Since the new Outlook entered the Global Availability phase, you should be able to simply copy-and-paste the email signature from the generator to Outlook settings. Follow the instructions below to drag-and-drop your email signature only if the default method doesn’t work.
When you have the signature ready, it’s time to open signature settings in the new Outlook.
- Starting from the Outlook’s main window, the quickest way to open signature settings is to start creating a new email:
- Next, go to Message > Signature > Signatures
- Once in the signature settings, add a new signature’s name. Now, it’s best to open Outlook and the signature generator side by side. I’m using the
+ 
key combination for an easy and even screen split, but you can use your second display (if you have it). Now, select the signature in the generator and drag & drop it into the signature settings in Outlook. Since it’s easier shown than written, see this short video:
Note: Alternatively, you can click and hold the signature, alt + tab to the settings (while holding) and release the mouse button in the signature editor.
- Save your changes, (optionally) choose the new signature as the default one and then save again. You can’t choose the new signature as the default one until you save it first.
Why not copy and paste the signature?
Since the new Outlook entered the Global Availability phase, the signature formatting issue should be fixed. The images below show how email signatures behaved when you used drag-and-drop vs when you used copy-and-paste.
Can you see the difference? It’s the same signature.
Dragged & dropped:
Copied & pasted:
Other methods
It’s not the only way to get your automatic email signature working. But it’s by far the easiest. I’ll list the other methods, but mainly to show why the method above is superior.
- Switching to classic Outlook and adding the signature there. Copy & paste always worked there, but you’ve switched to the new Outlook for some reason, right? Jumping between those two versions adds some hassle.
- Creating the signature from scratch in the signature editor. While it’s always an option, I’ve never actually seen people doing it, unless they only want to add their first and last name.
- You don’t have to use the signature generator. Designing a signature in Word and using it in the new Outlook is an option you’re welcome to try. I never recommend it, though. Copy and paste gives similar results to what you see above. And if you drag and drop, signatures from any word processor come with some curious formatting. It will reveal itself once you send out your emails.
- You can design your signature in Canva, Photoshop, etc. and use an image instead of an HTML signature. While your formatting will be intact, you’ll lose dark-mode compatibility, easy editing, ability to copy anything and optimal signature size. Also, there’s no point in adding any social buttons, since you can only add one link to the whole image.
There is one more method, which makes a lot of sense if you design email signatures for the whole company.
How to add a professional email signature for the whole company?
The only easier method of setting up an email signature is when you don’t have to set it up at all. And yes, you and every other user can have a signature without having to get near the signature settings. Here’s how:
