It can be frustrating when your professional email signature suddenly disappears. Whether you are using Outlook on the web or the desktop application, this guide provides a step-by-step approach to diagnosing and fixing the issue.
1. Verify Your Signature Configuration
The most common cause is simply that the signature isn't assigned to your outgoing messages.
For Outlook Desktop
Navigate to File > Options > Mail.
Under the Compose messages section, click the Signatures button.
In the Signatures and Stationery window, look at the Choose default signature section on the right.
Ensure your specific signature is selected in the dropdown menus for both New messages and Replies/forwards.
Click OK to save.
Getting to Settings might look a little different depending on your Outlook version. Navigate through your Outlook to Settings, and you’ll find the section to manage your email signature there.
For Outlook Web (Outlook.com / Outlook Web App)
Click the Gear Icon (Settings) in the top-right corner.
2. Select View all Outlook settings at the bottom of the pane.
3. Go to Mail > Compose and reply.
4. Scroll down to the Email signature section.
5. Check the boxes for:
“Include my signature on new messages I compose”
“Include my signature on messages I forward or reply to”
6. Click Save.
2. Check the Email Format (HTML vs. Plain Text)
Outlook signatures—especially those with logos, links, or colors—often fail to load if your email format is set to Plain Text.
To Fix: Go to File > Options > Mail. Under Compose messages, ensure the dropdown for "Compose messages in this format" is set to HTML.
3. Advanced Technical Fixes
If your settings are correct but the signature still won't appear, try these system-level solutions:
Update Outlook: Software bugs can interfere with signatures. Go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now.
Run in Safe Mode: To see if a third-party add-in is blocking your signature, press Windows + R, type
outlook /safe, and hit Enter. If the signature works here, disable your add-ins one by one to find the culprit.Repair Office: If files are corrupted, go to Control Panel > Programs and Features, select your Office installation, click Change, and then select Repair.
Reset the Navigation Pane: If the interface is glitching, close Outlook, press Windows + R, type
outlook.exe /resetnavpane, and hit Enter.
Quick Troubleshooting Tips
Issue | Solution |
Not showing in replies | Re-check the "Signatures" menu and ensure the "Replies/forwards" dropdown isn't set to "None." |
Missing on Mobile | Signatures do not sync across devices. You must manually copy and paste your signature into the settings of the Outlook Mobile app. |
Broken Images | This usually happens if the image was linked to a web URL that is no longer active. Re-upload the image directly from your computer. |
Shared Mailboxes | Shared mailboxes often require you to manually select a signature each time, as they do not always trigger the default user signature. |