Fix extra space between lines in an Outlook signature

The extra space between signature lines in Outlook is usually paragraph spacing. Each press of Enter starts a new paragraph, and a paragraph can carry space before and after it. In classic Outlook for Windows, set Before and After to 0 pt and Line spacing to Single in the signature's paragraph settings. New Outlook for Windows has no Paragraph dialog, so it cannot type 0 pt.

Why does my Outlook signature have a gap between every line?

Outlook applies the spacing to each paragraph. Microsoft describes the paragraph settings as the space before and after each paragraph, measured in points, and says smaller values mean less space. A signature typed with Enter after every line is a stack of paragraphs, so each one gets the gap.

A signature pasted from Word can bring hidden paragraph formatting with it. A September 2025 Microsoft Q&A answer gives that as the cause when the signature was copied from another source.

The gap also shows up in replies. In an August 2025 Microsoft Q&A thread, users say the spacing appears in new messages and in replies, and one says Outlook adds a space before and after the signature when replying. Another user says inserting the signature with Insert > Signature brought it in without the gap. The thread has more than ten people marking it as the same problem. I found no Microsoft statement that confirms a bug.

How do I remove the gap in classic Outlook for Windows?

1. Open a new message. On the Message menu, select Signature > Signatures.
2. Under Select signature to edit, choose the signature that has the gap.
3. Click in the Edit signature box and select all of its text.
4. Right-click the selected text and choose Paragraph.
5. On the Indents and Spacing tab, set Before and After to 0 pt, and set Line spacing to Single.
6. Select OK in the Paragraph dialog. Then select Save and OK in the Signatures window.
7. Test in a new message and in a reply, because replies can add spacing of their own.

Microsoft's signature help does not mention the Paragraph command inside the Edit signature box. The steps above come from Microsoft Q&A. A 2019 accepted answer with more than 20 helpful votes uses the same Paragraph route, and a March 2026 answer repeats it. I could not confirm them on Microsoft's own pages. If the command is missing on your build, use the Shift+Enter method below.

What can I do in new Outlook for Windows?

New Outlook has no Paragraph dialog, so it cannot type an exact value such as 0 pt. Microsoft says to use classic Outlook for Windows for that. In a message you are writing, press Alt, O, K to open the Spacing menu. It offers line spacing of 1.0, 1.15, 1.5 and 2.0, plus Add space before paragraph, Add space after paragraph and their Remove versions. Microsoft describes these as changes to the message you are composing. I could not confirm from Microsoft that they change a saved signature.

A May 2026 Microsoft Q&A thread asks the same question. The user could not find a 0 pt option in new Outlook and said they would go back to classic Outlook if no other fix appeared.

Does pressing Shift+Enter fix it?

Community answers say yes. A September 2025 Microsoft Q&A answer, marked as accepted, says to delete the signature content, type each line, and press Shift+Enter instead of Enter. Shift+Enter makes a line break inside the same paragraph, so no paragraph spacing is added. Then re-insert the images and links, and select Save.

Microsoft's keyboard shortcut list gives Shift+Enter a different job: it opens the selected message in a new window. Microsoft's docs do not confirm the line-break method for the signature box. Test it on a two-line signature before you rebuild a long one.

The same answer says the rebuild also removes hidden formatting from a signature copied from Word.

Why does the gap come back after I fix it?

• You checked only a new message. The August 2025 thread reports the gap in both new messages and replies, so check a reply before you call it fixed.
• The signature was pasted again. Paste from Word or another editor can bring the old formatting back. Rebuild it by typing, as above.
• The default style is still spaced. The March 2026 answer suggests setting Before and After to 0 pt and Line spacing to Single while composing, then choosing Set as Default so it applies to the NormalEmail template. I could not find that step on Microsoft's pages.

How Sendoff handles this

Sendoff builds signatures as tables with inline CSS. The gaps between blocks are padding in the table, and the Spacing control in the design panel scales them. The options are Compact, Normal and Relaxed. Custom detail lines in the contact block are joined with a line break inside one span, not split into separate paragraphs.

Outlook can still apply its own formatting when you paste, so send a test reply before you roll the signature out to a team. Build the layout in the signature generator, then follow the Outlook setup steps.

Sources

• Microsoft Support, Use a screen reader to change the indentation and spacing options in Outlook: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/outlook/use-a-screen-reader-to-change-the-indentation-and-spacing-options-in-outlook
• Microsoft Support, How to add and change an email signature in Outlook: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/mail/how-to-add-and-change-an-email-signature-in-outlook
• Microsoft Support, Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/outlook/keyboard-shortcuts-for-outlook
• Microsoft Q&A, "Remove spacing in signature Outlook 365" (November 2019, accepted answer): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4519789/remove-spacing-in-signature-outlook-365
• Microsoft Q&A, "New emails and replies are defaulting to space before paragraph and space after paragraph" (August 2025): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5530712/new-emails-and-replies-are-defaulting-to-space-bef
• Microsoft Q&A, "E-mail Signature Formatting Issues in Outlook" (September 2025, accepted answer): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5550786/e-mail-signature-formatting-issues-in-outlook
• Microsoft Q&A, "line spacing in outlook" (March 2026): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5813240/line-spacing-in-outlook
• Microsoft Q&A, "How to stop outlook from auto adding space between paragraphs?" (May 2026): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5884775/how-to-stop-outlook-from-auto-adding-space-between