The quickest way to sign out of Gmail
To sign out of Gmail on a computer, click your profile picture in the top right corner of the Gmail window, then select "Sign out" from the menu that appears. If you do not see a profile picture, look for your email address or initials in that same corner. The sign-out link is always in that dropdown menu.
After you click "Sign out", Gmail closes your session and returns you to the Gmail login page. You are now signed out. If you share your computer with other people, this is the step that prevents them from reading your email when they sit down at the same desk.
The process takes about five seconds and works the same way whether you use Gmail in a web browser or through the Gmail app on Windows or Mac.
Key Takeaways
- Click your profile picture in the top right corner of Gmail and select "Sign out" from the dropdown menu.
- Signing out closes your Gmail session completely, so the next person to open Gmail will see the login page instead of your inbox.
- If you want to stay signed in but hide your inbox from someone else using the computer, you can lock your screen or close the browser tab instead.
- On a shared computer, signing out is safer than straightforward closing the browser, because closing the tab sometimes leaves you logged in.
Where to find the sign-out button if you cannot see your profile picture
If the top right corner of Gmail does not show a profile picture, initials, or email address, you may be using a very old version of Gmail or a browser that is not fully compatible. Try refreshing the page by pressing F5 or Ctrl+R on Windows, or Command+R on Mac.
If refreshing does not help, try a different browser. Gmail works best in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you are using Internet Explorer or an older browser, Gmail may not display correctly, and the sign-out button may be hidden or in a different location.
As a last resort, you can sign out by typing mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?logout directly into your address bar and pressing Enter. This forces Gmail to sign you out without needing to find the button.
Signing out on a shared or public computer
On a computer that other people use, signing out is more important than on your personal device. When you sign out, Gmail removes your login information from that browser, so the next person cannot access your email by straightforward opening Gmail.
Closing the Gmail tab or window is not enough. Browsers often remember login sessions even after you close the tab, which means someone could open Gmail again and still see your inbox. Signing out clears that memory.
If you use a public computer at a library or internet café, always sign out before you leave. If you forget, go back and sign out as soon as you remember, or change your Gmail password from another device to lock out anyone who might have accessed your account.
What happens after you sign out
Once you sign out, your Gmail account is no longer active on that browser. If you open Gmail again, you will see the login page and will need to enter your email address and password to get back in.
Signing out does not delete your emails, change your password, or affect your account in any way. It only closes your current session. Your emails remain on Google's servers and will be there the next time you sign in.
If you have multiple Gmail accounts, signing out of one does not sign you out of the others. You will need to sign out of each account separately if you want to close all of them.
Signing out on Gmail for Windows and Mac apps
If you use the Gmail app instead of the web version, the sign-out process is slightly different. Open the Gmail app, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left, scroll down, and select "Sign out". The app will close your account and return to the login screen.
On Mac, you may also find a sign-out option in the Gmail menu at the very top of the screen. Click "Gmail" and look for "Sign out" or "Log out" in that dropdown.
After you sign out of the app, you will need to enter your password again the next time you open it. The app does not store your login information after you sign out.
Signing out without losing your other Google services
When you sign out of Gmail, you also sign out of other Google services on that browser, such as Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Google Photos. If you want to stay signed into those services but sign out of Gmail only, that is not possible through the normal sign-out button.
Instead, you can open Gmail in a private or incognito window. Private windows do not save your login information after you close them, so you can check your email without staying signed in on the main browser. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+N to open an incognito window in Chrome. On Mac, press Command+Shift+N.
Alternatively, you can use a different browser for Gmail. For example, use Chrome for Gmail and Firefox for your other Google services. That way, signing out of Gmail in Chrome does not affect your other accounts in Firefox.
Troubleshooting: the sign-out button is not working
If you click the sign-out button and nothing happens, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies. These files sometimes get corrupted and prevent Gmail from responding correctly. In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac, select "All time" from the time range, check "Cookies and other site data", and click "Clear data".
After clearing the cache, close the browser completely and open it again. Then try signing out of Gmail once more. If the button still does not work, try a different browser to see if the problem is specific to the one you are using.
If you are signed into multiple Google accounts at once, make sure you are clicking the profile picture for the account you want to sign out of. Gmail sometimes shows the wrong profile picture if you have more than one account open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does signing out of Gmail sign me out of YouTube and Google Drive?
Yes. When you sign out of Gmail, you sign out of all Google services on that browser at the same time. If you want to stay signed into YouTube or Drive, you will need to sign back in after signing out of Gmail, or use a different browser for each service.
Can someone sign back into my Gmail account if I only close the browser?
Not when ready, but it is risky. Closing the browser tab leaves your session active in the browser's memory. If someone opens Gmail again on that computer within a few hours, they may be able to access your account without entering a password. Always sign out instead of just closing the tab on a shared computer.
What if I sign out and then forget my password?
You can recover your Gmail password by going to the Gmail login page, clicking "Forgot password?", and following the recovery steps. Google will ask you to verify your identity using a recovery email address or phone number that you set up on your account. Keep those details current so you can get back in if you forget your password.
Does signing out delete my emails?
No. Signing out only closes your session. All your emails remain on Google's servers and will be there when you sign back in. Signing out is completely safe and does not affect your account or messages in any way.
Can I sign out of Gmail on my phone the same way?
The process is similar but slightly different on phones. Open the Gmail app, tap your profile picture in the top right, tap "Manage your Google Account", go to the "Security" tab, scroll to "Your devices", select the device you want to sign out of, and tap "Sign out". On some phones, you can also go to Settings, find Gmail, and select "Remove account".