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Guide page

How to Add a Signature in Gmail: Text, Logo or PNG

On desktop Gmail, open Settings > See all settings > General > Signature. Create a signature, paste your formatted footer or insert an image, choose defaults, and click Save Changes at the bottom.

Choose a formatted footer for contact details and links, or a PNG for a handwritten mark. Gmail’s desktop editor accepts formatted content; pasting raw HTML code is not the same operation.

Workflow updated .

Choose the method that fits your signature

Business footer

Name, contact links and optional logo

Use the Gmail builder and select Copy signature. Paste the formatted block into Gmail’s signature editor; use Copy HTML only for a source-code workflow.

Use this method
Handwritten sign-off

Insert a transparent signature PNG

Create or clean your signature image, then use Gmail’s Insert image control. Add contact details as editable text so recipients can select and follow them.

Use this method
Text only

Write directly in Gmail

For a simple sign-off, type your name and contact details into Gmail’s signature editor. No generator is required. Choose defaults and save before testing.

By scenario

Before you start

Best fit

You want a signature on outgoing Gmail messages

Choose an editable contact footer, a handwritten image, or plain text. Install the result in the desktop signature editor and test it in a message.

Keep it readable

Avoid putting all contact details into one image

Keep names, email addresses and links as text where possible. Use a small logo or handwritten PNG as a supporting image.

Next route

Keep the image small and then decide whether defaults are needed

Once the PNG is in place, the real follow-up is choosing the right default signature for new emails and replies, not making the image larger.

Guidance

How to Add a Signature in Gmail: Text, Logo or PNG: step by step

  1. 1

    Prepare the signature you want to install

    For a formatted footer, use Copy signature in the Gmail builder. For a handwritten image, export a transparent PNG. Keep the layout compact.

  2. 2

    Open Gmail settings

    In Gmail, go to Settings > See all settings, then stay on the General tab where the Signature section appears.

  3. 3

    Create or edit a signature block

    Create or edit a signature. Paste the formatted footer, or use Insert image for your PNG. Select the defaults for new emails and replies, then click Save Changes at the bottom of settings.

  4. 4

    Send yourself a test email

    Check the size and spacing in a real draft or test message so the signature remains readable and does not overpower the rest of the email footer.

Evidence

What the official documentation supports

  • Gmail Help documents the signature editor inside Settings > See all settings and explicitly allows adding an image to the signature block.
  • Google also documents multiple signatures and different defaults for new emails and replies, which makes post-install checking part of the workflow.
  • Gmail's troubleshooting guidance warns that large signature images display badly and recommends keeping the image in a more compact size range.
Official sources

Pages reviewed for this guide

Gmail create a signatureOfficial Gmail Help reviewed on April 20, 2026. Covers Settings > See all settings, image support, multiple signatures, and defaults.Gmail signature troubleshootingOfficial Gmail Help reviewed on April 20, 2026. Covers image-display issues and recommended signature-image sizing.
FAQ

Short answers tied to this guide

Why is my Gmail signature missing from new messages or replies?

Check the Signature defaults in General settings. Select the desired signature separately for new messages and replies, then save changes. If you use more than one sending address, check that you edited the correct address.

Why does Gmail show HTML tags instead of my signature?

Raw HTML was pasted into a rich-text editor. Return to the builder and use Copy signature, not Copy HTML. If your browser cannot copy rich text, download the HTML, open it in a browser, and copy the visible signature.

Does Gmail support transparent PNG signatures?

Yes. Transparent PNG usually works well in Gmail and keeps the sign-off lighter than a flat white rectangle.

Should I use a full email-signature template instead?

Only if you need a larger branded footer with logos, links, and layout blocks. If the goal is simply placing a personal signature image, this lighter Gmail workflow is usually enough.

What size should the signature feel like in Gmail?

Keep it compact enough that the typed contact details still lead the footer. The image should support the sign-off, not overwhelm it.