Because a reply is not handled like a new message. In Outlook on mobile, a signature added by an add-in is applied but is not visible in the quick reply view; in the new Outlook, an add-in's signature was inserted at the bottom of the thread because of an Office.js bug that Microsoft says it fixed in April 2025; and native Outlook signatures have a separate setting for replies and forwards. Find your client in the table below, then try the workaround.
Why is the signature missing or at the bottom on a reply, client by client?
| Client | What you may see | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New Outlook for Windows (signature inserted by an add-in) | On reply or forward, the signature is inserted at the bottom of the message thread. Templafy attributes it to an issue in Office.js reported to Microsoft. In the Office.js ticket, Microsoft wrote on April 3, 2025 that the fix "is being rolled out gradually" and on April 8, 2025 that "the issue has been rolled out"; the ticket was closed on April 18, 2025 with the label "Status: fixed". Developers on the ticket report that the signature still lands after the cursor position, also with Outlook's own signature feature in Outlook on the web; Microsoft has not confirmed that. | Templafy, OfficeDev/office-js #5538 |
| Outlook on mobile (signature inserted by an add-in) | When you select Reply from the bottom of a message, the add-in activates and adds the signature, but it is not visible in the current view; expanding the compose window to full screen shows it. Xink describes the same thing for Outlook on Android: the signature is hidden in the quick reply field, still added when the email is sent, and visible when you open Reply from the three-dot menu. | Microsoft Learn, Xink |
| Outlook for Windows, new or classic (native signature) | New messages and replies/forwards have separate settings: Microsoft's instructions say to use the checkboxes to choose whether to apply the signature to new messages and to replies and forwards, and to select a signature in the Replies/forwards drop-down. Check that box and that drop-down before suspecting a bug. | Microsoft Support |
| Outlook on the web (signature set by the administrator) | The AutoAddSignatureOnReply and AutoAddSignature parameters of Set-MailboxMessageConfiguration do not work when roaming signatures are enabled in the organization. | Microsoft Learn |
What about iOS? Microsoft's page describes Outlook on mobile without separating iOS from Android, and we found no source that treats iOS differently, so we do not either. On the Templafy and Xink rows, we report only what their articles say, not how their products behave.
How do you fix a missing or misplaced signature on a reply?
- On mobile, open the full editor. Expand the compose window to full screen (Microsoft Learn), or open Reply from the three-dot menu instead of the quick reply field (Xink). The signature is added either way.
- In the new Outlook, check the cursor. If an add-in's signature lands in the middle of the thread, note where the cursor was when the reply opened: developers on the Office.js ticket report that the signature is inserted after the cursor position. This is their observation, not a Microsoft statement.
- With a native signature, set the replies option. In the signature settings, tick the replies and forwards box and choose a signature in the Replies/forwards drop-down.
- In Outlook on the web, mind roaming signatures. The reply parameters of
Set-MailboxMessageConfigurationonly work once roaming signatures are disabled; this guide gives the cmdlets and the limits of that switch. - With a signature tool, read its reply setting first. A setting that gives replies a different signature, or none at all, looks exactly like a bug.
Related reading: signatures in the new Outlook, Outlook signatures on Mac and mobile and a logo in the Outlook for Android signature.
What does ATOM Signatures do on replies and forwards?
- The position is Outlook's. The add-in calls
setSignatureAsync, and Outlook decides where the signature goes in the message. ATOM has no top or bottom logic of its own. Per Microsoft Learn, when a user composes a new item, including a reply or forward, the signature is set but doesn't modify the form. - Reply and forward versions are settings. On computer and web, the administrator can choose the version used for replies and forwards: identical, compact, custom or none. With "none", a reply has no signature by design.
- Compose type. The add-in asks Outlook whether the message is new, a reply or a forward by calling
getComposeTypeAsyncwhenever the API is available, mobile included (Microsoft Learn lists it for Outlook on Android and iOS from version 4.2352.0, Mailbox 1.10). When the API is available and answers, the configured reply or forward version is applied. When the API is missing or fails, the message is treated as a new message and receives the full signature.
For how this compares with the native signature, see ATOM vs the native Microsoft 365 signature.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my signature missing or at the bottom when I reply?
It depends on the client. In Outlook on mobile, an add-in's signature is added but is not visible in the current view when you reply from the bottom of a message. In the new Outlook, an add-in's signature was inserted at the bottom of the thread because of an Office.js issue. With a native signature, replies and forwards have their own setting.
Is the new Outlook bug with signatures at the bottom fixed?
Microsoft said in the Office.js ticket that the fix had been rolled out in April 2025 and the ticket was closed as fixed on April 18, 2025. Developers later reported on that ticket that the signature can still be inserted after the cursor position, which Microsoft has not confirmed.
Why can't I see my signature in the Outlook mobile quick reply?
Microsoft Learn explains that, when you select Reply from the bottom of a message, the add-in adds the signature but it is not visible in the current view. Expanding the compose window to full screen shows it. Xink adds that the signature is still sent with the email.
Does ATOM Signatures place the signature at the top or the bottom of a reply?
Neither. ATOM calls setSignatureAsync and Outlook decides where the signature goes in the message; ATOM has no top or bottom logic. The administrator can choose the version used for replies and forwards: identical, compact, custom or none.
Control the reply version in one place. ATOM Signatures costs CA$1 per user per month, plus taxes, with a 14-day free trial.
Sources
- Templafy — Reply/Forward signature appears at the bottom of the thread in New Outlook (created April 4, 2025, updated May 29, 2026): support.templafy.com
- OfficeDev/office-js — Issue 5538, Set Signature not working properly - Forward (Microsoft comments of April 3 and 8, 2025, closed April 18, 2025): github.com
- Xink — Outlook (Android): Email signature not visible on reply or forward (modified April 21, 2026): support.xink.io
- Microsoft Learn — Add-ins that run on events in Outlook on mobile devices (reply from the bottom of a message): learn.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Learn — Outlook JavaScript APIs supported in Outlook on mobile devices: learn.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Learn — Office.Body, setSignatureAsync: learn.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Support — Create and add an email signature in Outlook: support.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Learn — Set-MailboxMessageConfiguration (AutoAddSignatureOnReply, roaming signatures): learn.microsoft.com
Sources consulted on November 2, 2026.