Use a screen reader to add a signature in outlook

This article is for people with visual impairments who use a screen reader program with the Office products and is part of the Office Accessibility content set. For more general help, see Microsoft Support home or Fixes or workarounds for recent office issues.

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Use Outlook with your keyboard and a screen reader to create and insert a signature. The signature appears automatically at the bottom of new emails, including your replies and emails you forward. We have tested it with Narrator, JAWS, and NVDA, but it might work with other screen readers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques.

Need instructions on how to create and add a signature in Outlook, but not using a screen reader? See Create and add a signature to messages.

Notes: 

• New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

• To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.

In this topic

• Create a new signature

• Keyboard shortcuts for formatting signatures

• Insert your signature

• Set a default signature

Create a new signature

You can have several signatures and use a different signature for each type of email. For example, a business signature might include your name, job title, and contact information, while your home signature might have just a nickname and an image.

1. In Outlook, press Alt+F, T, M. The Outlook Options window opens with the focus on the Mail category.

2. Press Alt+N, and then press Enter. The Signatures and Stationery dialog box opens.

3. To create a new signature, press Alt+N, and then press Enter. The New Signature dialog box opens.

4. Type a name for the signature. When you're done, press Enter.

   Tip: Give signatures descriptive names, such as "business closing." A good name can help you find the signature that you want in the future.

   The focus returns to the Signatures and Stationery dialog box.

5. To add your signature text, press Alt+T, and then press the Tab key until you hear: "Edit signature." Type the signature text.

   Tip: You can also add a picture to your signature. Press Shift+Tab until you hear "Pictures button," and press Enter. The Insert Picture dialog box opens. Browse to the image you want, and press Enter to insert it to the signature.

6. When you're done, press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and press Enter. The focus returns to the Outlook Options window.

7. To apply your changes and return the focus to your Inbox, press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and press Enter.

Edit a signature

1. In your Inbox, press Alt+F, T, M. The Outlook Options window opens with the focus on the Mail category.

2. Press Alt+N, and then press Enter. The Signatures and Stationery dialog box opens.

3. Press Alt+C. You hear: "Select signature to edit."

4. Press the Down arrow key until you hear the signature you want, and then press Alt+T. You hear the currently selected font.

5. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Edit signature." Modify the signature text as necessary. To format text, use the keyboard shortcuts described in Keyboard shortcuts for formatting signatures.

6. When you're done, press Alt+S to save the updated signature.

7. Press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and press Enter. The focus returns to the Outlook Options window.

8. To apply the changes and return the focus to your Inbox, press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and press Enter.

Keyboard shortcuts for formatting signatures

Use the below shortcuts to format your email signature:

To do this	Press
Apply bold formatting	Ctrl+B
Apply underline formatting	Ctrl+U
Remove text formatting	Ctrl+Spacebar
Change font	Alt+T
Align left	Ctrl+L
Center text	Ctrl+E
Align right	Ctrl+R

Insert your signature

If you've created a signature but didn't choose to automatically add it to outgoing messages, you can manually add it to specific messages.

1. While composing your message in Outlook, press Alt+N, A, S.

2. The list of available signatures opens. If there's only one signature available and you'd like to add that one, press Enter. If you have more signatures, press the Down arrow key until you hear the one you want to use, and press Enter.

   The signature is added to your message, and the focus returns to the message.

Set a default signature

You can set signatures to be added automatically to your outgoing messages. You can separately select a signature for new messages, replies, and forwarded emails.

1. In Outlook, press Alt+F, T, M. The Outlook Options window opens with the focus on the Mail category.

2. Press Alt+N, and then press Enter. The Signatures and Stationery dialog box opens.

3. To select the email account for which you want to set default signatures, press Alt+A. You hear the name of the currently selected account. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the account you want, and then press Enter.

4. To add a default signature automatically to all new messages that you compose using the selected account, press Alt+M. The New Messages menu opens. Use the Up or Down arrow key to move to the signature you want, and press Enter.

5. To add a default signature automatically to messages that you reply to or forward, press Alt+F. The Replies/Forwards menu opens. Use the Up or Down arrow key to move to the signature you want, and press Enter.

6. When you're done, press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and press Enter. The Signatures and Stationery dialog box closes, and you return to the Outlook Options window.

7. To apply your changes and return to your inbox, press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and then press Enter.

Remove a default signature

1. In Outlook, press Alt+F, T, M. The Outlook Options window opens with the focus on the Mail category.

2. Press Alt+N, and then press Enter. The Signatures and Stationery dialog box opens.

3. Press Alt+A. In the list of email accounts, press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the account whose default signature you want remove, and press Enter.

4. Do one of the following:

   • To remove the signature for new messages, press Alt+M.

   • To remove the signature for replies and forwarded messages, press Alt+F.

5. Press the Up arrow key until you hear "None," and then press Enter.

6. Press the Tab key until you hear "OK button," and press Enter.

Note: You can also delete a signature completely. In the Signatures and Stationery dialog box, press Alt+C. Press the Up or Down arrow key until you hear the signature you want to delete, and then press Alt+D. A confirmation window opens. You hear: "Yes button." To delete the signature, press Enter.

See also

Use a screen reader to format text in your email in Outlook

Use a screen reader to insert a picture or image in Outlook

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail

What's new in Microsoft 365

Use Outlook for Mac with your keyboard and VoiceOver, the built-in macOS screen reader, to add a signature to your outgoing emails. You can set the signature to appear automatically at the bottom of new email messages, replies, and emails you forward.

Need instructions on how to create and add a signature in Outlook, but not using a screen reader? See Create and insert a signature in Outlook for Mac.

Notes: 

• New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

• This topic assumes that you are using the built-in macOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, go to VoiceOver Getting Started Guide.

In this topic

• Create a new signature

• Insert your signature

• Set a default signature

• Remove a default signature

Create a new signature

You don't have to use the same signature for everything. You can use a different signature for each type of email. For example, a business signature might include your name, job title, and contact information, while your home signature might have just a nickname and an image.

1. In Outlook, press Command+Comma (,) to open the Outlook Preferences dialog box.

2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Signatures, button," and press Control+Option+Spacebar. The Signatures dialog box opens.

3. Press the Tab key repeatedly until you hear "Add signature, button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. A dialog box for composing your signature opens. Type the signature text you want.

4. To give a descriptive name for the new signature, press Shift+Tab until you hear "Untitled, contents selected, edit text," and type the signature name.

5. When you're done, press Shift+Tab until you hear "Save, button," and press Control+Option+Spacebar. To close the dialog box, press Command+W. The focus returns to the Signatures dialog box.

6. If you use Outlook for multiple email accounts, you can choose the account that should default to the new signature. Press Shift+Tab repeatedly until you hear VoiceOver announce the current email account, followed by "Account pop-up button." To expand the list of accounts, press Control+Option+Spacebar. Use the Up or Down arrow key to move to the account you want, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

7. To automatically include the signature to all new outgoing messages from the selected email account, press the Tab key until you hear: "None, New messages, pop-up button." To open the list of available signatures, press Control+Option+Spacebar. Then press the Down arrow key until you hear the name of the new signature, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

8. To automatically include the signature to all the messages you reply to and forward, press the Tab key until you hear: "None, Replies slash forwards, pop-up button." To open the list of available signatures, press Control+Option+Spacebar. Then press the Down arrow key until you hear the name of the new signature, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

9. When you're done, press Command+W to close the Signatures dialog box and return to your Inbox.

Insert your signature

If you've created a signature, but didn't choose to automatically add it to outgoing messages, you can manually add it to specific messages.

1. While composing a message in Outlook, press Shift+Tab until VoiceOver announces: "Signature, button." Press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

2. The signatures submenu opens. Press the Down arrow key until you hear the signature you want to use, and then press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

   The signature is added to the message. The focus stays on the Signature button on the ribbon. To move the focus to the message body, press the Tab key repeatedly until you hear "Edit text," followed by the current text insertion point.

Set a default signature

1. In Outlook, press Command+Comma (,) to open the Outlook Preferences dialog box.

2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Signatures, button," and press Control+Option+Spacebar. The Signatures dialog box opens.

3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Entering signature name table," press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key, press the Control+Option+Right arrow key until you hear the name of the signature you want to set as a default, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to select. Press Control+Option+Shift+Up arrow key to exit the Signature name table.

4. If you use Outlook for multiple email accounts, you can choose the account that should default to the selected signature. Press Shift+Tab repeatedly until you hear VoiceOver announce the current email account, followed by "Account pop-up button." To expand the list of accounts, press Control+Option+Spacebar. Use the Up or Down arrow key to move to the account you want, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

5. To automatically include the signature to all new outgoing messages from the selected email account, press the Tab key until you hear: "None, New messages, pop-up button." To open the list of available signatures, press Control+Option+Spacebar. Then press the Down arrow key until you hear the name of the new signature, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

6. To automatically include the signature to all the messages you reply to and forward, press the Tab key until you hear: "None, Replies slash forwards, pop-up button." To open the list of available signatures, press Control+Option+Spacebar. Then press the Down arrow key until you hear the name of the new signature, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to select.

7. When you're done, press Command+W to close the Signatures dialog box and return to your Inbox.

Remove a default signature

1. In Outlook, press Command+Comma (,) to open the Outlook Preferences dialog box.

2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Signatures, button," and press Control+Option+Spacebar. The Signatures dialog box opens.

3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Entering signature name table," press Control+Option+Shift+Down arrow key, press the Control+Option+Right arrow key until you hear the name of the signature you want to delete, and press Control+Option+Spacebar to select. Press Control+Option+Shift+Up arrow key to exit the Signature name table.

4. Press the Tab key until you hear "Delete selected signatures button," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar. You're prompted to confirm the deletion. To delete the signature, press Control+Option+Spacebar.

See also

Use a screen reader to format text in your email in Outlook

Use a screen reader to insert a picture or image in Outlook

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail

What's new in Microsoft 365

Use Outlook for iOS with VoiceOver, the built-in iOS screen reader to edit and insert a signature to your outgoing email messages.

Notes: 

• New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

• This topic assumes that you are using the built-in iOS screen reader, VoiceOver. To learn more about using VoiceOver, visit Apple accessibility.

Add a signature

By default, the "Get Outlook for iOS" message appears at the end of your emails as your signature. Instead of having the default message, you can create a personalized signature for all your messages.

1. In your Inbox, tap near the top of the screen with four fingers. You hear: "Menu," followed by your profile name, and "Show navigation pane, button." Double-tap the screen, swipe right until you hear "Settings, button," and then double-tap the screen. The Settings menu opens.

2. In the Settings menu, swipe right until you hear "Signature," followed by your current signature, and then double-tap the screen. The Signature window opens.

3. Double-tap the screen, and then use the on-screen keyboard to edit the current signature.

   Tip: If you don't want to have any signature at the end of your email messages, simply delete the signature text in the Signature window.

4. When you're ready, to close the Signature menu, tap near the top of the screen with four fingers. You hear: "Settings, back button," and then double-tap the screen. The focus returns to the Settings menu.

5. To close the Settings menu, tap near the top of the screen with four fingers. You hear: "Close button." Double-tap the screen. The focus returns to the Inbox.

See also

Use a screen reader to format text in your email in Outlook

Use a screen reader to insert a picture or image in Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail

What's new in Microsoft 365

Use Outlook for Android with TalkBack, the built-in Android screen reader, to edit and insert a signature to your outgoing emails.

Notes: 

• New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

• This topic assumes that you are using the built-in Android screen reader, TalkBack. To learn more about using TalkBack, go to Android accessibility.

Edit and add a signature

By default, the "Get Outlook for Android" message appears at the end of your emails as your signature. Instead of having the default message, you can create a personalized signature for all your messages.

1. In your Inbox, swipe left until you "Open navigation drawer, button," double-tap the screen, swipe right until you hear "Settings," and then double-tap the screen. The Settings menu opens.

2. In the Settings menu, swipe right until you hear "Change your default signature, your default signature is," followed by the current signature, and double-tap the screen. The Signature window opens.

3. Swipe right until you hear "Edit signature," and double-tap the screen. Use the on-screen keyboard to edit the current signature.

   Tip: If you don't want to have any signature at the end of your email messages, simply delete the signature text in the Signature window.

4. When you're done, swipe down-then-left to close the on-screen keyboard. Then swipe left until you hear "Save," and double-tap the screen. The Signature window closes, and the focus moves to the Settings menu.

5. To close the Settings menu, swipe down-then-left. The focus returns to the Inbox.

See also

Use a screen reader to format text in your email in Outlook

Use a screen reader to insert a picture or image in Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Set up your device to work with accessibility in Microsoft 365

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail

What's new in Microsoft 365

Use Outlook on the web with you keyboard and a screen reader to add a signature to your outgoing emails. You can set the signature to appear automatically at the bottom of new email messages, replies, and emails you forward in Mail. We have tested it with Narrator in Microsoft Edge and JAWS and NVDA in Chrome, but it might work with other screen readers and web browsers as long as they follow common accessibility standards and techniques.

Need instructions on how to create and add a signature in Outlook, but not using a screen reader? See Create and add an email signature in Outlook Web App.

Notes: 

• New Microsoft 365 features are released gradually to Microsoft 365 subscribers, so your app might not have these features yet. To learn how you can get new features faster, join the Office Insider program.

• To learn more about screen readers, go to How screen readers work with Microsoft Office.

• This topic assumes that the Reading pane is off.

• When you use Outlook on the web, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because Outlook on the web runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts are different from those in the desktop program. For example, you'll use Ctrl+F6 instead of F6 for jumping in and out of the commands. Also, common shortcuts like F1 (Help) and Ctrl+O (Open) apply to the web browser – not Outlook on the web.

• We're currently updating Outlook.office.com (Outlook on the Web). Some people are already using the new Outlook, and for others the classic version will be the default experience until we complete the update. For more information, go to Get help with the new Outlook on the web. Since the instructions in this topic apply to the new experience, we recommend that you switch from the classic experience to the new Outlook. To switch to the new Outlook, press Ctrl+F6 until you hear "Command, Try the new Outlook," and then press Enter. If you hear "Command toolbar" instead of "Command, Try the new Outlook," you're already using the new Outlook.

In this topic

• Create a new signature

• Insert your signature

Create a new signature

1. In Outlook Mail, press Ctrl+F6 or Shift+Ctrl+F6 until you hear "Banner Search landmark," press the Tab key until you hear "Settings button," and then press Enter. The Settings pane opens.

2. Press the Down arrow key until you hear "View all Outlook settings," and press Enter. The Settings window opens.

3. Press the Tab key until you hear "Mail category, subtab, layout," press the Down arrow key until you hear "Compose and reply," and press Enter.

4. Press the Tab key until you hear "New signature button," and press Enter.

5. Press the Tab key until you hear: "Edit signature name." Type a descriptive name for the new signature.

6. Press the Tab key until you hear "Signature, edit," and then type the signature text you want.

7. Do one of the following:

   • If you want your signature to automatically display at the bottom of all new messages, press the Down arrow key until you hear "For new messages," and then press the Tab key once. You hear the name of the current signature or "No signature." Press Spacebar, use the Down or Up arrow key to browse to the signature you want, and then press Enter.

   • If you want your signature to automatically display at the bottom of all replies and forwarded messages, press the Down arrow key until you hear "For replies slash forwards," and then press the Tab key once. You hear the name of the current signature or "No signature." Press Spacebar, use the Down or Up arrow key to browse to the signature you want, and then press Enter.

   Tip: If you don't select any of those options, you can also manually add your signature to any new message you want. To learn more, refer to Insert your signature.

8. When done, press Shift+Tab until you hear "Save," and press Enter.

9. To close the Settings window and return to your inbox, press Shift+Tab until you hear "Close settings," and press Enter.

Insert your signature

If you've created a signature but didn't choose to automatically add it to outgoing messages, you can manually add it to specific messages.

1. While composing a message in Outlook, place the cursor where you want to insert your signature.

2. Press the Tab key until you hear "Discard button," then press the Tab key once more to move the focus to the first menu bar option. Press the Right, Left, Up, or Down arrow key until you hear "More compose actions," and then press Spacebar to open the menu.

3. Press the Down arrow key until you hear "Insert signature," and then press the Right arrow key. The list of available signatures is expanded.

4. Use the Down or Up arrow key to browse to the signature you want, and then press Enter. Your signature is added to the message, and the focus moves to the email message.

See also

Use a screen reader to format text in your email in Outlook

Use a screen reader to insert a picture or image in Outlook

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

Basic tasks using a screen reader with email in Outlook

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Outlook Mail

What's new in Microsoft 365

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.

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