How do I back up my signatures?

People often ask how to copy Outlook signatures between multiple computers. In this post, I’ll describe how to accomplish that task using a little known keyboard shortcut.

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1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and select the Mail Format tab

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2. Hold down <ctrl> key while clicking the Signatures… button

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3. The folder containing your signatures will open

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4. Copy all of the files and folders in the Signatures folder to the location where you back up your files (e.g. flash drive, external hard drive, another computer)

5. Now open the Signatures folder on your other computer by repeating the first three steps and then copy the files you just backed up to that folder

6. The next time you use Outlook on the other computer, your signatures will show up in the E-mail Signatures tab of the Signatures and Stationery dialog box and on the Insert tab in the inspector

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7. If you’d like any of those signatures to be automatically applied to new messages or replies/forwards when using the other computer, open the E-mail Signatures tab of the Signatures and Stationery dialog box to configure a default signature for either type of message

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Ellen Adams, Microsoft Office Outlook Program Manager

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More info on email signatures:

Demo: Create and use an e-mail signature

Create and add an email message signature

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Comments: (14) Collapse

  • Ctrl-click a button? INCREDIBLY INTUITIVE! ;) Perhaps for the next version of Outlook you will have an uber "Backup/Restore" story that will take ALL the countless features of Outlook (literally) and make it easy to backup/restore this application. :) Better yet, integrate with SkyDrive so we never have to worry about this process again!

  • While I appreciate the information (never knew about the ctrl-click option) can I just say it is _so_ frustrating that signatures are not kept on the Exchange server as part of the mailbox.

  • This is useful, but can you make it work automatically between multiple computers(and with Outlook Web Access) if I am using Exchange?

  • When transferring PSTs regularly between machines (for those of us who don't have Exchange servers!) is there any way to backup the Instant Search database - otherwise after every transfer it ends up having to re-index again right from the beginning.

  • I will have to agree with Michael! This should be part of the feature. And like Tom said, should be on the exchange server!! Every few years, we get a new machine and every time I have to try and remember which folder that Signature folder was hiding!! Always forget that it isn't under the Outlook folder!

    Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Signatures Back up that folder, then on the other machine, copy and paste them over. ps. Can we have the feature of allowing multiple signatures in the email back in Outlook 2007? We use it to store reply templates as it is quick and easy to access! Insert signature, and it's done! Until we move to 2007... Anyways, thanks for listening :)

  • @Sally Check out the Quick Parts feature in Outlook 2007. It allows you to save building blocks of text and you can insert as many as you want into a single message. office.microsoft.com/.../redir.aspx

  • Thanks, a great help for us ignorant !

  • Awesome tip and done in seconds. Thanks for the great work. Anthony

  • Iw as wonderign if anyone knew how u can make a default signature format like for a company to use so that every person inside the compnay has the same format of signature ?

  • Fantastic tip. We use a set of signatures to help with our stock responses to feedback and have been frustrated by not being able to share or work on multiple computers. Thanks!

  • on my computer, the Ctrl click function seems not to be available.

  • Thanks!

  • Cool tip! I agree with Tom. and MichaelD. Your settings in Outlook, ESPECIALLY your signature and dictionaries,  should be synced on the Exchange server

  • Awesome Tip Ellen. Huge time saving help. Thank you. ;-)

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