How to Remove a Gmail Account From an Android Device

Here are the basic steps to remove a Gmail account from an Android device.

How to Keep Gmail But Stop Emails

If you use a different third-party email app, turn off syncing for Gmail or turn off Gmail notifications.

How to Turn Off Gmail Notifications

To keep the Google account on your phone and receive Gmail messages, but don’t receive new mail alerts, follow these steps:

Problems Removing a Google Account From an Android Phone

Although these instructions work for most Android phones, you might run into problems:

When you get to step four, you might need to tap the Overflow Menu icon (the three vertically stacked dots) to access the option to remove your account. If you have trouble removing the primary Gmail account—the one you used when you first set up your phone—try adding a new Gmail account, setting it as the primary account, and deleting the unwanted one. If that doesn’t work, perform a factory reset. This process will also remove all your data from the phone, so make sure to back up your phone first.

Losing Access to Data Tied to the Gmail Account

If you remove the Gmail account that’s tied to the Google Play Store, you will lose access to apps and content that you purchased from the Google Play Store. You’ll also lose access to emails, photos, calendars, and any other data tied to that Gmail account.