Send & Receive Issues

How to Fix Exchange Signatures Appearing at the End of Forwarded Emails in Outlook

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need to ensure that an organization-wide email signature created in the Exchange admin center appears directly below the newly composed message when forwarding or replying, rather than at the bottom of the entire email thread.

Product: Microsoft Exchange / Outlook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Forwarding or replying to an email thread using an organization-wide signature configured via Exchange mail-flow rules.
Observed behavior: The signature appears at the very end of the forwarded content or email thread instead of directly below the new message.

Before you start

Verify whether your organization uses Exchange mail-flow rules or a third-party tool to manage signatures, as native Microsoft 365 organization-wide signatures have known placement limitations.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Client-Side Outlook Signatures Instead of Mail-Flow Rules

Since Exchange mail-flow rules cannot reliably place signatures under the newest reply, setting up signatures locally in Outlook is the official workaround.

According to official Microsoft documentation, it is a known limitation that organization-wide signatures and disclaimers applied via Exchange mail-flow rules will append to the bottom of the entire email thread. To ensure proper placement directly below your new replies and forwards, you must configure the signature on the client side rather than at the server level.

Open Outlook Options

Launch the Outlook desktop application, navigate to the 'File' tab in the top-left corner, and click on 'Options'.

Access Signature Settings

Select 'Mail' from the left pane in the Options window, then click on the 'Signatures...' button on the right.

Create a New Signature

Click 'New' to create a signature for your account, type a name for it, and paste your organizational signature into the edit box.

Assign to Replies and Forwards

Under the 'Choose default signature' section, ensure your new signature is selected in the dropdown menu for both 'New messages' and 'Replies/forwards'.

Save Changes

Click 'OK' to save. Outlook will now correctly insert the signature directly below your newly typed message when replying or forwarding.

Microsoft Documentation Notice: This limitation is officially documented by Microsoft for Microsoft 365 Exchange admin center setups. Server-side rules cannot distinguish the newest reply from previous messages.

Solution 2

Implement a Third-Party Email Signature Solution

If you need central management for all employees without relying on manual client-side setups, third-party signature software is required.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Exchange signature go to the bottom of the email thread?

This is a documented limitation of Microsoft 365 Exchange mail-flow rules. Server-side rules cannot distinguish the newest reply from the rest of the email thread, so they safely append the signature disclaimer to the very end of the email body.

Can I fix the Exchange signature position without using third-party tools?

The only native way to fix the position without third-party tools is to stop using Exchange mail-flow rules for signatures. Instead, have users configure their signatures locally within their Outlook desktop or web applications.

Does this signature limitation affect Outlook on the web as well?

Yes. Because the organization-wide signature is applied at the server level by Exchange after the email is sent, the issue affects all emails sent through that server, regardless of whether you use Outlook desktop, mobile, or web interfaces.

Outlook & Email Problems