Removing your Google account means services like Google Maps, Google Play Store, and other apps will become unavailable. It’ll require you to add another Google account to your Android device or have a second Google account already signed in to keep uninterrupted access to these apps.

As mentioned, you can turn off Gmail syncing instead. This will stop Gmail from updating your inbox on your device and leave your account available for you to use elsewhere.

If you’ve decided to remove your Gmail account, you’ll need to have your device handy, although you can sign out of your account remotely if needed.

Turning Off Gmail Syncing

Before we begin, it’s important to point out that the steps to access your device’s Settings menu may be slightly different, depending on the version of Android you have. The steps below should work from Android 9 Pie onwards.

Head into your device’s “Settings” menu either by clicking on the app in the app drawer or by swiping down the notification shade and tapping on the gear icon.

In your device settings, locate and press “Accounts” or “Accounts and Backup,” depending on what it’s named on your device.

Note: On some devices, you’ll need to tap an additional “Accounts” menu to locate and manage your various accounts.

Find your Google account and tap it to access your individual account settings. Click “Sync Account” or “Account Sync.”

Find the setting for Gmail syncing and tap the toggle to turn it off.

Muting Gmail Notifications

You also have the option to disable notifications for your account on Gmail, leaving it logged in and synced, but with notifications muted.

Open up the Gmail app, tap the hamburger menu icon in the top-left corner to access the side menu, scroll to the bottom, and tap “Settings.”

Find and tap on your account and, in the settings area for your account, tap “Notifications.”

Change the notifications intensity for your account from “All” to “None.” Alternatively, you can choose “High Priority Only” if you want to allow notifications for your most important emails.

If you choose “None,” the notifications for your Gmail account will be muted; you’ll still receive emails silently, should you need to check them in the future.

Removing Your Gmail Account

If you’re determined to remove your Gmail account from your device, you can do so in a few simple steps. You should consider it if you’re switching to an entirely new Gmail account or if you’re transferring your device to somebody else.

To begin, open your device’s “Settings” menu by swiping down the notification shade and tapping the gear icon.

In the “Settings” menu, find and tap “Accounts.” This section may be labeled “Accounts and Backup” or something similar depending on what device you own.

Locate your Google account and press it to open up your account settings. Tap “Remove Account” to begin the process.

You’ll be asked to confirm the removal by clicking “Remove Account” one final time.

Once you tap this, your Gmail account will be removed from your device. You’ll no longer be able to access it in Gmail or any other Google services.

Remotely Removing Your Gmail Account

If you’ve lost your Android device, or if it’s been stolen, you’ll be able to remove your account remotely from within your Google account settings online. You’ll need another device such as a computer to be able to do this.

Sign in to your Google account on the web from another device. Click “Security” in the left-hand menu.

Scroll down to “Your Devices” and click “Manage Devices.”

You’ll see the list of devices your Google account is signed in to. Click on your missing device, and under “Account Access,” click the “Remove” button.

You’ll receive a warning, asking you to confirm that you do want to remove your account. Click “Remove” to confirm.

Once that’s done, you’ll receive confirmation that your account access has been removed from your device.

Technically, while this does log you out on your device, it doesn’t remove it completely. You’ll receive an alert on your device to take account action, where you’ll be asked to type your password again to restore access.

To completely remove any trace of your account from your device at this point, then as above, head to your Android settings, go to Settings > Accounts and locate your Google account. Click “Remove Account” and confirm to fully remove it.

Once this is done, the last trace of your Gmail account will be fully removed from your device.

Doing this is important if you’ve lost your Android device or if you’re planning to sell it. You don’t have to remove your Gmail account if you want to add a second—you can be signed in to as many accounts as you like.

If you do need to remove your Gmail account, however, it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes from start to finish.