How to Import, Export or Copy Email Signatures from Outlook

Outlook Loading Laptop

In this guide, we’ll show you the Outlook signature location as well as how to import or export an existing email signature in Outlook.

Changing your computer is often a huge hassle, especially when you have to install and set up all your applications and settings again.

It’s never an easy task, and that’s why the least we could do is show you the most efficient and easiest way to deal with your email signatures when migrating.

After all, email signatures are our business!

Outlook Signature Location

The location of Outlook email signature files is:

%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures

In order to get to this location, you will need to browse to it on your computer (more on that in the export section).

All your Outlook email signatures are stored in files which have extensions .htm, .rtf and .txt and also a folder with the name of your email signature.

The %userprofile% is a system-wide variable which means it will go to the profile of the user which is logged in.

Outlook Signature Location

How to Copy Email Signatures to Another Computer

This is by far the best and easiest way to copy your email signature to another computer when using Outlook.

1. Open Outlook on your new computer and wait for your mailbox to sync all your emails.

Once your emails are synced, go into your ‘Sent Items’ folder.

Outlook Loading Intro

2. Find and open an email you have sent previously, which has your email signature in it.

Copy Outlook Email Signature

3. Select and copy the email signature by pressing Ctrl + C on your keyboard (or Command + C for Mac users).

Alternatively, you can right-click and select Copy.

Copy Outlook Email Signature

4. Install the email signature in Outlook.

Note: All Outlook versions have different installation steps, so please check our email signature installation resources and select your version of Outlook for exact instructions.

How to Export Email Signatures from Microsoft Outlook

If you want to export your email signatures into files and keep them for later, this is how you do it.

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

Export Outlook Email Signature

2. Type (or copy) this path into the text box:

%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures

Click ‘OK’.

Export Outlook Email Signature

3. There will be 3 files and 1 folder with a name that you have given your email signature when you created it. The files will have .htm, .rtf and .txt extensions.

Those 3 files and 1 folder are needed for your email signature to work correctly.

Outlook Signature Location

4. Copy those 3 files and 1 folder (using Ctrl + C) and paste them to any media of your choice (eg. thumb drive).

You have successfully exported your Outlook email signature files.

Export Outlook Email Signature

How to Import Email Signatures into Microsoft Outlook

Follow these steps if you want to import your email signatures into Outlook.

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

Export Outlook Email Signature

2. Type (or copy) this into the text box: %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures

Click ‘OK’.

Export Outlook Email Signature

3. Open the location where your email signature is saved (the 3 files and 1 folder) and paste (or Ctrl + V) them into the above location.

Outlook Signature Location

4. Open Outlook and click to create a new email message.

Click on Insert > Signature and you should see your email signature available from the list.

You have successfully imported your Outlook email signature.

Import Outlook Email Signature

6 Replies to “How to Import, Export or Copy Email Signatures from Outlook”

  1. Hey, thanks for the amazing video.
    Can we edit an email signature after importing it?

    1. Hi Sakshie,

      Generally, I would avoid editing a signature within Outlook or any other email client once it has been imported. When you edit a signature within Outlook, it may cause problems with the original HTML signature that you imported. If you need to edit a signature, I would just create a new one from scratch, or edit an existing one if you have a Gimmio account. Feel free to try our free email signature generator here: https://gimm.io/en_US/email-signature-generator

  2. This is amazing. Why did I not find this guide before?! I’ve had to do it the hard way twice before and now I find this and it made the third time soooo easy! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

  3. You must import all custom signature files to the default Outlook directory if you have developed and backed up customised signatures that you want to reproduce on another machine running Outlook. How Do I Back Up Outlook Signatures? is an entry in the Knowledge Base. for additional information

    This option is only available in Outlook for Windows.

    To import Outlook signatures, go to C:Users percent USERNAME percent AppDataRoamingMicrosoftSignatures and paste the signatures you previously exported there.

    1. Hi Sharz,

      Unfortunately, no there isn’t. Any signature that is from a file will need to be imported individually to each computer/user.

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