Applies ToWord for Microsoft 365 Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac Word 2024 Word 2024 for Mac Word 2021 Word 2021 for Mac Word 2019 Word 2016

Your handwritten signature gives your document a personal touch. You can scan your signature and store it as a picture to insert in the document.

You can also insert a signature line to indicate where a signature should be written.

Create and insert a handwritten signature

You need a scanner to do this.

  1. Write your signature on a piece of paper.

  2. Scan the page and save it on your computer in a common file format: .bmp, .jpg, or .png.

    For information on how to use your scanner, use the manufacturer’s manual or Web site.

  3. Open the image file in Word.

  4. Select the image and on the Picture Format tab, select Crop and use the handles to crop the image.

    Crop command on the Picture Tools Format tab

  5. Right-click the image and choose Save as Picture to save as a separate file.

  6. To add the signature to a document, select Insert > Pictures.

    The Pictures command on the Insert tab

Include typewritten text with your reusable signature

If you want information like your job title, phone number, or email address to be part of your signature, save it along with the picture as AutoText.

  1. Type the text you want under the inserted picture.

  2. Select the picture and the typed text.

  3. Select Insert > Quick Parts.

    Quick Parts command on the Insert tab

  4. Select Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery. The Create New Building Block box opens.

    Create New Building Block dialog box

  5. In the Name box, type a name for your signature block.

  6. In the Gallery box, select AutoText.

  7. Select OK.

  8. When you want to use this signature, place the insertion point where you want to insert the signature block.

  9. Select Insert > Quick Parts > AutoText, and then select the name of your signature block.

Insert a signature line

Use the Signature Line command to insert a signature line with an X by it to show where to sign a document.

  1. Click where you want the line.

  2. Select Insert > Signature Line.

    The Signature Line command on the Insert tab

  3. Select Microsoft Office Signature Line.

  4. In the Signature Setup box, you can type a name in the Suggested signer box. You can also add a title in the Suggested signer’s title box.

  5. Select OK. The signature line appears in your document.

    A signature line in Word with an X indicating where the signature should be written

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