We’ve all moved PST files, and if we’re good, we’ve also moved NK2 files… but sometimes Signatures can be a real pain in the outbox.

Sure, we could go to the users’ Sent Items and play the copy-paste game, which is fine for basic signatures.  But what about sig’s with fancy web links and HTML graphics?  And what if the user has multiple signatures for various reasons?  Searching the Sent Mail folder for all the sig’s could turn into a chore.

Microsoft made an easy way to browse right to the obscure location that Signature Files are stored.  It’s hidden and scarcely documented… but in every version of Outlook starting with 2000, you can hold down the CTRL Key when you click on the Signatures Button to open a Window with all the files that go into the making of a profile.

Whether you get to the button via “Tools –> Options –> Mail Format” in Office 2000, XP, 2003, or 2007… or “File –> Options –> Mail” in Office 2010, CTRL-Clicking the “Signatures” button opens a window that will allow for easy backup, and copying of Signature Data from one setup to another.

This method will ensure that all Signatures and all versions, HTML, Rich Text, and plain text get moved quickly and easily.

Stick that in your toolbox and use it!

Instead, be sure to use the delete tool under Control Panel –> User Accounts –> Configure advanced user profile properties. If you do make the mistake of doing it the “old” way, there is a registry key that you can delete:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList