Using multiple Gmail accounts on one device

Several Gmail accounts can be signed in at the same time in one browser and on one phone, for example a personal and a work account. Switching between them needs no signing out; the only thing to watch is which account is the default.

Which approach suits what?

• Several accounts in one browser: quick switching from the profile picture; the accounts can be open at the same time in separate tabs of one browser window.
• A separate browser profile for each account (such as a Chrome profile): keeps the accounts completely apart, each with its own bookmarks and passwords. A good choice when work and personal accounts must be kept strictly separate.
• Several accounts in the Gmail app: each account sends its own notifications; in the “All inboxes” view they also appear in a single list.
• Forwarding to a main account: if the second account is only read occasionally, its emails can be forwarded automatically to the main account. For sending, the second address can also be set up as a “send from” address in the main account.

Several accounts in a browser

1. Sign in to the first account at mail.google.com.
2. Click the profile picture or initial in the top right corner, then “Add another account”.
3. The sign-in page opens in a new tab: enter the second account's address, then the password or passkey. Details: Signing in to Gmail.
4. To switch, click the profile picture and choose the other account from the list. Gmail opens it in a new tab, so both mailboxes can be open at once.
5. In the browser's address bar, the accounts are numbered: the first signed-in account is at mail.google.com/mail/u/0/, the second at /u/1/. These addresses can also be saved as bookmarks.

Which account is the default?

The default account is usually the one that was signed in first in the browser. Google uses it when it is unclear which account to open, for example in a new window or for a Google link received in an email.

• To change the default account, choose “Sign out of all accounts” in the profile picture menu, then sign in to the desired account first and to the others afterwards.
• When several accounts are signed in, some settings (such as Web & App Activity or ad personalization) may follow the default account's settings.
• Some Google services do not support multiple accounts and always open the default one; a separate browser profile helps in that case.
• On a phone, the default account depends on the operating system and the app; the Gmail app always opens the account selected last.

Several accounts in the Gmail app

1. Open the Gmail app and tap the profile picture in the top right corner.
2. Choose “Add another account”, then “Google”.
3. Enter the second account's address and the password or passkey, and complete any confirmation requested.
4. To switch, tap the profile picture and choose the other account from the list. On Android, swiping down or up on the profile picture also switches accounts.
5. Emails from all accounts in one place: the “All inboxes” view in the menu at the top left.

Google Play App Store

Android phones: the account applies to the whole device

On Android, a Google Account added in the Gmail app is added to the whole phone: it also appears in Google Play, Google Photos, Contacts and Calendar. This is convenient, but it is worth keeping an eye on which account is used for things like app purchases or photo backup.

• The phone's accounts are listed in the “Settings” app, in the accounts section (for example “Passwords & accounts”; the name varies by manufacturer).
• If an account only needs to be taken off the phone, it can be removed in the Gmail app under profile picture > “Manage accounts on this device”. This does not delete the Google Account; it only removes it from this phone.
• Google prompts (sign-in notifications) can arrive on every phone where the account is signed in.

iPhone and iPad

• In the Gmail app, the accounts only appear within the app; other Google apps (such as YouTube or Google Maps) use their own account switcher.
• Removing an account: profile picture > “Manage accounts on this device”, then “Remove from this device” next to the account.
• Gmail accounts can also be added to the iPhone's built-in Mail app; the Gmail app is then not required, but Gmail labels and tabs do not appear the same way there.

Accounts from other providers in Gmail

Not only Google Accounts can be added to the Gmail app: the “Add another account” list also includes Outlook.com, Yahoo and iCloud, and mailboxes from other providers can be added with IMAP settings. In Gmail on the web, POP fetching of other accounts' emails and the Gmailify feature are being phased out: they are no longer available to new users after the first quarter of 2026, and existing users keep them until January 2027. Instead, forwarding set up at the other provider or the Gmail app's IMAP connection can be used. More about Outlook.com: Outlook.

Signing out and removing an account

• In a browser, it is not possible to sign out of just one account: “Sign out” signs out of all signed-in accounts. Afterwards, sign back in to the accounts that are still needed.
• After signing out, an account can be deleted from the sign-in list with “Remove an account”.
• On a shared computer, it is better not to keep work and personal accounts in the same browser profile.
• If an account is no longer in use, sign in to it at least once every two years, because Google may delete an account that has not been used for at least two years. Closing it for good: Deleting Gmail or closing the whole Google Account.