If you’re finding your iPhone inbox overflowing, you might want to sign out of your email accounts. Your iPhone allows you to manage email accounts directly through the Settings app, and if you use the Gmail app, there’s a separate process for signing out there too. This guide will walk you through the steps to log out of email accounts on your iPhone.
Before you start, ensure you have your email account credentials (username and password) if you plan to re-add an account later.
To manage and sign out of your email accounts on your iPhone, follow these steps. First, you need to log out of the Mail app. Open your iPhone’s Settings app, which is the grey gear icon on your Home screen. To permanently log out of Mail, you will need to delete the account from the app. Scroll down and tap Apps; on older iOS versions, you might skip this step. Then, tap Mail, which may require scrolling down to locate. Tap Mail Accounts, an option near the top of the page that displays a list of all email accounts currently added to your iPhone. Tap the account you want to log out from, and a confirmation message will then appear. Tap Delete Account; in some iOS versions, this might appear as Sign Out instead. Tap Delete Account again, and this action will sign you out of the Mail app and remove all associated data, including synced emails, contacts, and calendar events.
If you wish to disable Mail temporarily instead of deleting the account, you can do so by opening the Settings app and scrolling down to tap Apps, a step that can be skipped on older iOS versions. Tap Mail, then Mail Accounts, which lists all email accounts added to your iPhone. Tap the email account you want to temporarily disable; when an account is disabled, you won’t be able to send or receive email with it on your iPhone, but you can re-enable it at any time. Toggle off “Mail”; if you are using an iCloud email account, this option will be labeled “Use on this iPhone”. If you wish to keep other features like Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders active for this account, ensure their corresponding toggle switches remain in the on position.
To log out of Gmail specifically from the Gmail app, as it will not affect the Mail app, open the Gmail app on your iPhone, which is a multi-colored ‘M’ icon. Tap your profile icon located in the top-right corner of the app, then tap Manage accounts on this device, an option found at the very bottom of the screen; you may need to scroll down if you have many accounts added. Tap Remove from device under your account, and this action will delete the email from the Gmail app. If you prefer to temporarily remove the account, tap the switch next to it to move it to the off (grey) position. To re-enable it, tap the switch again to move it to the on (blue) position.
If you need to add a new email account to your iPhone, open the Settings app and scroll down to tap Apps, a step that can be skipped on older iOS versions. Tap Mail, then Mail Accounts, which lists all email accounts added to your iPhone. Tap Add Account; if you have existing emails linked to the Mail app, they will be listed under the Accounts header. Tap the email provider, choosing from options such as iCloud, Microsoft Exchange, Google, Yahoo, AOL, Outlook, or Other. Log into your email account following the on-screen instructions, which will vary depending on the provider you selected. Once signed in, you can select which features you want to sync, such as Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, and Notes.
In case you accidentally removed the Mail app from your Home screen and wish to restore it, swipe to the App Library, located on the far right when swiping from your Home screen. Find the Mail app by either browsing for the app icon within the folders or typing “mail” into the search bar at the top. Tap and hold the Mail app; a pop-up menu will open. If a menu does not open, simply tap and hold the app, then drag it directly to your Home screen. Tap Add to Home Screen, and the Mail app will then be added to your Home screen. You can rearrange your apps on the Home screen as desired.
Regularly reviewing your connected accounts in the Mail app is a good practice to ensure only necessary accounts are active, helping to manage your digital footprint and improve privacy.
After managing your email accounts, consider optimizing your iPhone’s notification settings for the Mail app. You can customize how and when you receive alerts for new emails, reducing distractions and focusing on what matters most. Explore options like turning off badge icons, adjusting sound alerts, or setting up VIP notifications for important contacts.
Additionally, take some time to organize your email inbox. Many email providers offer features like smart folders, labels, and filters that can automatically sort incoming messages, making it easier to find what you need and keep your inbox tidy. A well-organized inbox can significantly improve your productivity and reduce stress.
