If you’re getting a lot of emails on your iPhone, you may want to log out of email accounts in the Mail app on an iPhone. You can add or remove email accounts on your iPhone using the Settings app, or log out if you use the Gmail app. This guide shows you how to sign out from iPhone Mail or Gmail, including removing accounts, disabling them temporarily, and other related tasks.
How to log out from mail on iPhone
Follow these methods to sign out, disable, or manage email accounts on your iPhone step by step.
Quick sign out steps for iPhone Mail
- Open your iPhone’s Settings. It’s the grey gear icon on the Home screen.
- Scroll down and tap Apps. If you’re on an older version of iOS, skip this step.
- Tap Mail.
- Tap Mail Accounts. This is near the top of the page. You’ll see a list of all email accounts you have added to your iPhone.
- Tap the account you want to log out from. A confirmation message will appear.
- Tap Delete Account. Some versions of iOS may say Sign Out instead.
- Tap Delete Account again. This will sign you out of the Mail app on your iPhone and remove the email account’s data, including any synced emails, contacts, and calendar events.
How to disable mail temporarily
- Open your iPhone’s Settings.
- Scroll down and tap Apps.
- Tap Mail.
- Tap Mail Accounts.
- Tap the email account you want to turn off temporarily. When you disable an account temporarily, you won’t be able to send or receive email with that account on your iPhone. You can enable the account again at any time.
- Toggle off “Mail”. If you’re using an iCloud email account, you’ll turn off “Use on this iPhone” instead. Keep other toggle switches on if you want to retain features such as Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders.
How to log out of Gmail
- Open the Gmail app on your iPhone.
- Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner.
- Tap Manage accounts on this device.
- Tap Remove from device under your account. This deletes the email from the Gmail app. If you want to remove the email account temporarily, tap the switch to the gray position and switch it back on when you’re ready.
How to add a new email account to iPhone
- Open your iPhone’s Settings.
- Scroll down and tap Apps.
- Tap Mail.
- Tap Mail Accounts.
- Tap Add Account.
- Tap the email provider (iCloud, Microsoft Exchange, Google, Yahoo, AOL, Outlook, or other).
- Log into your email account. Follow the on-screen instructions to sign in. Once signed in, you can select the features you want to sync, such as Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, and Notes.
How to add the Mail app to the home screen
- Swipe to the App Library on the far right side of the home screen.
- Find the Mail app.
- Tap and hold the Mail icon. A pop-up menu will open.
- Tap Add to Home Screen. The Mail app will be added to your home screen. If desired, you can rearrange the apps on your home screen.
Troubleshooting common issues
- If Accounts is missing in Mail settings, go to Settings > Passwords & Accounts (or Accounts & Passwords) to manage mail accounts.
- If you don’t have an accounts tab, try Settings > Accounts & Passwords; then select the account that the emails come from and turn off the mail section.
- If a deleted mail account shows “invalid password,” use the forgot password link. The issue might be that your mail was turned off on your iCloud settings; switch it back on.
After logging out of an email account, consider reviewing your iPhone’s privacy settings to ensure other apps aren’t accessing unnecessary data. You might also want to update your iOS to the latest version for improved security features in the Mail app.
If you frequently switch accounts, explore third-party email apps like Outlook or Spark for better management options. Regularly clearing old accounts helps maintain device performance and reduces clutter in your notifications.
