What happens when you remove a Google account
Removing a Google account from your computer means signing out of that account on your device. The account itself still exists — you are not deleting it from Google's servers. When you remove it, you lose access to Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, and other Google services on that computer until you sign back in with a different account or re-add the same one.
On Windows, Mac, and Linux machines, the process is straightforward and takes less than a minute. The steps differ slightly depending on your operating system and which browser you use, but the core idea is the same: you go to your account settings and choose to sign out or remove the account.
If you share a computer with other people, removing your Google account prevents them from seeing your emails, files, or browsing history tied to that account. It does not delete any of your data from Google's own servers — your Gmail inbox, Drive files, and photos remain safe in your Google account.
Key Takeaways
- Removing a Google account from your computer signs you out but does not delete the account itself or any data stored in it.
- On Windows and Mac, you remove accounts through Settings or System Preferences, not through your browser.
- If you use Google Chrome, you can also remove the account from the browser itself, which is separate from removing it from your operating system.
- After removal, you can sign back in with the same account or a different one whenever you need to.
- Removing an account does not affect other user accounts on the same computer.
Remove a Google account on Windows 10 or 11
Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then press Enter. Click on "Accounts" in the left sidebar. Under "Email & accounts," you will see a list of accounts connected to your computer. Find the Google account you want to remove and click on it.
Click the "Remove" button. Windows will ask you to confirm — it will warn you that you will lose access to email, Microsoft Store purchases, and OneDrive files tied to that account on this device. Click "Remove" again to confirm. The account is now gone from your computer.
If you use Google Chrome as your browser, removing the account from Windows does not automatically sign you out of Chrome. You will need to sign out of Chrome separately if you want to remove it there as well.
Remove a Google account on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select "System Settings" (or "System Preferences" on older versions of macOS). Click "General" in the sidebar, then click "Login Items." Look for the Google account listed under "Internet Accounts" — you may need to scroll down to find it.
Click the account name, then click the minus sign (−) button at the bottom of the list. macOS will ask you to confirm the removal. Click "Delete" to finish. The account is now removed from your Mac.
As with Windows, removing the account from macOS does not sign you out of Google Chrome if you use it. You will need to sign out of Chrome separately through the browser itself.
Remove a Google account from Google Chrome
Open Google Chrome and click your profile picture in the top-right corner of the browser window. Click "Sign out" to sign out of Chrome. This removes your Google account from the browser itself, separate from your operating system.
If you have multiple Google accounts signed into Chrome, click your profile picture, then click "Manage your Google Account." Click the "Security" tab, scroll down to "Your devices," and click on the device name. Under "Your devices," you can see which accounts are signed in and remove them individually.
Signing out of Chrome does not delete your browsing history, bookmarks, or saved passwords — those remain on your computer. If you want to delete that data as well, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-right, go to "Settings," click "Privacy and security," and choose "Clear browsing data."
Remove a Google account on Linux
The process on Linux depends on which desktop environment you use. On GNOME (used by Ubuntu and many other distributions), open Settings, click "Online Accounts" in the sidebar, find your Google account, and click the minus sign to remove it.
On KDE Plasma, open System Settings, go to "Online Accounts," select your Google account, and click "Remove." On other desktop environments, the location may vary — check your distribution's documentation if you do not see these options.
If you use Firefox on Linux, you can also sign out by clicking the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-right, clicking your profile picture, and selecting "Sign out."
What to do if you forgot your password
If you want to remove a Google account but cannot remember the password, you can still remove it from your computer without signing in. On Windows, go to Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts, find the account, and click Remove — you do not need the password to remove it from your device.
On Mac, the same applies: go to System Settings > General > Login Items, find the account under Internet Accounts, and click the minus sign. You do not need to know the password to remove it from your computer.
If you want to regain access to the Google account itself (not just remove it from your computer), you can recover it by going to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and following Google's account recovery steps.
Removing an account you no longer use
If you have an old Google account you no longer use and want to remove it permanently, removing it from your computer is only the first step. To delete the account entirely from Google's servers, you need to go to myaccount.google.com, click "Data & privacy" in the left sidebar, scroll down to "More options," and click "Delete your Google Account."
Google will ask you to sign in and confirm your identity. You will see a list of data that will be deleted — Gmail, Drive, Photos, YouTube, and other services tied to that account. Once you confirm, the account and all its data are permanently deleted after a short waiting period. This is different from removing the account from your computer and cannot be undone.
Before you delete an account, read any data you want to keep. Go to takeout.google.com, sign in with that account, select which services you want to read (Gmail, Drive, Photos, etc.), and click "Create export." Google will prepare a file you can read.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will removing my Google account delete my Gmail or Google Drive files?
No. Removing the account from your computer only signs you out on that device. Your Gmail inbox, Drive files, Photos, and all other data remain safe in your Google account. You can sign back in anytime and access everything.
Can I remove someone else's Google account from a shared computer?
Yes, if you have administrator access to the computer. On Windows or Mac, go to Settings or System Preferences and remove the account from the Accounts section. The person whose account you removed will need to sign back in if they want to use Google services on that computer again.
What is the difference between removing an account and signing out?
Signing out logs you out of a service (like Chrome) but the account may still be listed on your computer. Removing an account deletes it from your device entirely. On Windows and Mac, removing is the more complete option.
If I remove my Google account, will my other user accounts on this computer be affected?
No. Each user account on your computer is separate. Removing a Google account from one user profile does not affect other users or their accounts.
Can I remove a Google account from my computer if I do not know the password?
Yes. On both Windows and Mac, you can remove an account from your device without knowing its password. You only need the password if you want to sign back in later or delete the account from Google entirely.