"Sent from my iPhone." I love to have the last word, and I never want it to be those words. Ending an email with a default stock signature leaves a mark, no matter how subtle. Even when people don't care, they notice.
If you've procrastinated getting rid of that automated advertising—or perhaps never thought twice about it until now—you can delete it or change it to something more informative and unique in about a minute.
Here are instructions for turning off or changing the automated email signature on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. I'll also give quick instructions for doing it in a few popular email apps.
How to Change Your Email Signature on an iPhone and iPad
If you've never changed the default message in the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad, your emails all say "Sent from my iPhone/iPad" at the end of them. To check and change it, go to:
Settings > Mail > Signature
On the next page, you have the option to delete the text and leave it blank or write whatever you want in your sendoff line.
If you have more than one email account connected to the Mail app, there are two options: All Accounts and Per Account. Choosing the first option applies your signature to all your emails sent from the Mail app, no matter which email host is behind them. Choosing Per Account opens up new fields where you can customize each signature line.
How to Change Your Email Signature on Android
As with most instructions for Android phones, the details for changing your email signature may vary depending on the phone you have, carrier you use, and other details. In all likelihood, you'll follow a path something like this:
Settings > Account > Email Signature.
Now either delete the stock message that appears or change it to something you prefer.
How to Change Your Email Signature in the Gmail Mobile App
To change your email signature in the Gmail mobile app, navigate to:
Settings > choose the account you want > Signature settings.
If you don't want to use an email signature, leave the toggle here disabled. If you want to add a custom signature, toggle the feature on and then type whatever you like in the box. There is no save button, so just back out of this screen when you're done.
How to Change Your Email Signature in the Yahoo Mobile App
In the Yahoo Mobile email app, you can disable your email signature or customize it by going to:
Menu > Settings > Signature.
Toggle the email signature on or off. If it's on, type your new email signature in the space provided. There's no save button, so just back out of this screen when you're done.
How to Change Your Email Signature in the Outlook.com Mobile App
If you use the Outlook.com email app, find your email signature options by going to:
Profile picture (top left corner) > Settings > Signature.
Write whatever you want here or delete the text to use no signature. When you're done, back out of this screen and the app saves whatever you put into the signature field.
Suggestions for Email Signatures
What should you put in your email signature? The answer depends on who you are and what you want others to know about you. A standard signature should contain your name, title (if emailing from a business address), and any secondary methods of contact you want people to have, whether a phone number, WhatsApp number, or website. Preferred pronouns and time zone are also helpful pieces of information you can add.
Other standard business fare include a company logo, link to your LinkedIn page, any social media handles that are relevant, and a headshot.
While it's difficult to stylize email signatures on mobile apps, you can usually add a lot of pizzazz to them through the desktop app or web interface of your email service provider. If you aren't adept with design, stick to one typeface for your email signature, and at most set some of the added information below your name in a smaller font. Simpler is better.
Alternatively, you can get some help from an email signature service. There are a whole bunch of websites where you can pick an email signature template, drop in your info, and further customize the signature to look how you want. Wisestamp (shown above) is one such service. Generally, you can get a free email signature design that comes with the company branding on it, or pay for a premium account to have it removed.