Bilingual Arabic and English email signature guide

A bilingual signature works when each language gets its own block with its own direction: the Arabic block set right-to-left and right-aligned, the English block left-to-right and left-aligned. Mixing both languages on the same line is what scrambles word order and phone numbers. The simplest reliable option for many people is two separate signatures, one Arabic and one English, chosen per recipient.

Businesses in the Gulf and wider Middle East ask about this regularly in Microsoft and Google forums, especially when Arabic text displays backwards in Outlook on the web or the new Outlook.

Option 1: one signature, two stacked blocks

Put the Arabic block above the English one (or the other way round), each in its own table:

• The Arabic table has dir="rtl" and right alignment.
• The English table has dir="ltr" and left alignment.
• Shared items, such as the logo and phone, sit in one block only, so they are not repeated.

This suits companies that write to both Arabic and English speakers every day. The downside is length: two languages double the height and count toward Gmail's 10,000-character limit.

Option 2: two signatures

Create an Arabic signature and an English one, and pick the right one when writing. Gmail and Outlook both let you keep several signatures and choose from a menu.

This is cleaner for the reader and keeps each signature short. It suits people who know which language each contact uses.

Getting the details right

• Phone numbers. Inside Arabic text, a number like +971 4 123 4567 can be reordered. Wrap it so it stays left-to-right, or put it in the English block.
• Fonts. Choose a font stack with a good Arabic face and safe fallbacks such as Tahoma or Arial. Custom Arabic web fonts rarely survive email.
• Punctuation. A full stop or bracket at the end of a mixed line can jump to the wrong side. Keep each line in one language.
• Names. Use the Arabic spelling people actually use, not a transliteration typed backwards.

Our Arabic email signatures guide covers mirroring, numbers and fonts in more depth.

Where Sendoff fits

Sendoff builds right-to-left signatures properly: the whole layout mirrors, phone numbers keep their order and fonts fall back safely. Each signature has one direction, so for a bilingual setup create an Arabic signature and an English one. Multiple signatures come with the Solo plan. Start in the Arabic email signature generator.

FAQ

Why does my Arabic signature look backwards in Outlook on the web? The block probably lacks a right-to-left direction, so the text runs left-to-right with Arabic letters. Set the direction on the container, not just the alignment.

Can I use one signature with Arabic and English on the same line? You can, but it is fragile. Separate lines or blocks are far more reliable.

Sources

• Microsoft Q&A, "Web and New Outlook email signatures with Arabic characters": https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4659291/web-and-new-outlook-email-signatures-with-arabic-c