Email signature for replies is showing in the incorrect spot

Question

I have my email signature set to populate when replying to emails however outlook is placing the signature below that sender/receivers email time stamps versus above them

Answer 1

Hi @Josh,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.  

Thank you for reaching out. I understand that in the New Outlook for Mac, your email signature is appearing below the previous sender/recipient timestamp instead of directly under your reply - definitely not the expected behavior.

Here are some steps you can try to troubleshoot the issue:

1/ Adjust compose behavior for replies/forwards

• Go to: Outlook > Settings > under Email > Composing
• Enable the option: “When replying or forwarding, use the format of the original message.”

This can help Outlook place the reply and signature consistently.

2/ Confirm your signature settings for Replies/Forwards

Outlook for Mac manages default signatures per account, and separately for replies/forwards. After certain updates, these mappings may reset, which can cause unexpected placement.

Go to: Outlook > Settings > Signatures

Under Choose default signature, check:

• Your email account is selected
• The Replies/forwards dropdown is set to the correct signature

As an alternative, you can set Replies/forwards = None, then manually place the signature by clicking where you want it and selecting it from the Signature button in the toolbar.

For reference: Create, insert, or change a signature in Outlook for Mac.

3/ If the “On wrote…” line looks misaligned: Clear formatting

There is a known behavior in Outlook for Mac where attribution text and the signature shift into unusual positions.

Try this:

• In the reply draft, select the top section of the message (your reply + the attribution line).
• Use Clear Formatting.
• Reinsert your signature using the Signature button.

This often resets the structure of the reply so the signature places correctly.

4/ If your organization uses server‑side signatures

Some organizations apply signatures/disclaimers through Microsoft 365 mail flow rules. A limitation of server‑side signatures is that they cannot be positioned directly under each reply or forward.

If your organization uses these:

• The Outlook client’s signature placement may still be overridden
• Placement may appear lower than expected in multi‑threaded conversations

In this case, only your IT admin can adjust the mail flow configuration.

 

If the issue continues:

Please contact your IT admin for further assistance. They can also open a support ticket through the Microsoft 365 admin center if deeper investigation is needed.

 

I hope this helps. Please let me know whether the steps work for you. If the issue persists, I’m happy to continue troubleshooting with you.

As other users will also search for information in this community, your vote can significantly help those with similar inquiries quickly locate the most relevant resources. 

Thank you for your kindness and for contributing to the forum.   

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