How to Remove a Gmail Account From Your Android Device

When you remove a Gmail account from an Android device the right way, the process is relatively easy and painless. The account will still exist, and you will be able to access it via a web browser, and you can even reconnect it later if you change your mind.

When thinking about removing an account, it's important to keep in mind there are often three different ideas that might be confusing:

• Delete the account from Google.
• Turning off sync so you aren't seeing the emails that come in.
• Removing Gmail account from a particular phone.

We're focusing on the last item (although we'll show you how to turn off sync as well). Before you proceed, there are a few factors to consider. Most importantly, you will lose access to apps and content that you purchased from the Google Play Storeif you remove the Gmail account that is tied to the store. You will also lose access to emails, photos, calendars, and any other data tied to that Gmail account.

While it is possible to add a Gmail account back later on, you may want to consider turning off the sync option instead. That option is touched on during step three, if you think you may want to leave the account in place.

Note: The directions below should apply no matter who made your Android phone: Samsung, Google, Huawei, Xiaomi, etc.

If you really do want to remove Gmail from your phone, the basic steps are:

1. Navigate to Settings > Accounts.
2. Tap Google and then tap the Gmail account you want to remove.
3. Open the overflow menu, which may look like three dots or three lines, and select remove account.
4. Confirm the account removal.

Don't Delete Your Gmail Account

The first step in removing a Gmail account from your Android is to access the Accounts menu on your phone.

Depending on the model of your Android Device, and the version of Android that it has installed, you may have an Accounts & Sync menu instead, but it’s essentially the same thing.

This can be accomplished by opening the main app menu, tapping the Settings gear, and then selecting the Accounts or Accounts & Sync menu.

Important: During this step, you absolutely must select Accounts or Accounts & Sync instead of Google from the main settings menu.

If you select Google from the main settings menu, you could end up deleting your Gmail account instead of just removing it from the phone.

Select Which Gmail Account to Remove From Your Phone

With the Accounts menu open, your Android will present you with a list of installed apps that have accounts tied to your device.

You will need to tap on Google at this point, which will bring up a list of Gmail accounts.

When you tap on the Gmail account that you want to remove from your phone, it will open up the Sync menu for that account.

Turn Syncing Off or Totally Remove a Gmail Account

The Sync menu provides you with a lot of options related to your Gmail account.

If you would like to leave your Gmail connected to the phone, but stop getting emails and notifications, you can accomplish this by simply turning off individual sync settings.

If you really want to totally remove the Gmail account from your phone, you will need to open the overflow menu. The icon for this menu looks like three vertically stacked dots. This menu includes a remove account option, which you will need to select.

Finalize the Removal of Your Google Account From Your Device

After you tap the remove account option, your phone will present you with a confirmation pop-up.

To finalize the removal of your Gmail account from your phone, you will need to tap remove account.

When the process is done, your phone will return to the previous menu, and the Gmail address you removed will be absent from the list of Google accounts that are connected to your device.

Problems Removing a Google Account From an Android Phone

While these instructions work for the vast majority of Android phones, you may run into a handful of different problems. The most common is that when you get to step three, you may not see an overflow menu button on your screen.

If you don’t see the overflow menu, which looks like three vertically stacked dots, you may still be able to access it. Look at your Android for a physical or virtual button that looks like three vertically stacked lines.

If you have a button like that, press it when you get to step three. That should open up the overflow menu, which will allow you to remove your Gmail account.

In some cases, you may also have trouble removing the primary Gmail account from your phone. This is the account that was used when the phone was first set up, and it is tied into many apps, like the Google Play Store.

If you are unable to remove your primary Gmail account from your phone, it may help to first add a new Gmail account. If that doesn’t work, you may need to perform a factory reset. This will also remove all your data from the phone, so make sure to back everything up first.