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To remove an email account from Windows 10 Mail without closing the mailbox, open Mail, select the Settings gear, choose Manage accounts, select the account, click Delete account from this device, and confirm with Delete. This removes the account connection, sign-in information, and locally stored Mail content from that PC. It does not delete the Gmail, Yahoo, Microsoft, or other online account itself.
If the Mail app does not offer the command, use Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts. Select the account under accounts used by email, calendar, and contacts, choose Manage, then select Delete account from this device. A default Windows account may require you to turn off its email synchronization first.
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The Mail app route is normally the quickest way to remove a connected account. It works for accounts such as Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.com, and other providers shown in Mail’s account list.
Remove the account through Mail
- Open the Mail app from the Start menu or taskbar.
- Select the Settings gear in the lower-left corner.
- Choose Manage accounts in the Settings pane.
- Select the email account you want to remove. Check the address carefully if several accounts are listed.
- Choose Delete account from this device.
- Select Delete to confirm.
The account should disappear from Mail’s account list. The action applies to the Windows device, not to the provider’s servers.
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What to check before confirming
- Verify that the address shown in the account settings is the one you intend to remove.
- Make sure you are removing a Mail connection rather than trying to close the online mailbox.
- If another person uses the PC, confirm that you are working in the correct Windows user profile.
Can I remove the account from Mail’s left-hand account list?
Yes. You can use the account’s context menu instead of opening the Settings gear. This reaches the same device-removal command.
- In the Mail app’s left pane, locate the account.
- Right-click the account name.
- Select Account settings.
- Choose Delete account from this device, then confirm with Delete.
If the account is not visible in the left pane, use the Windows Settings method below. The account may still be registered with Windows even when Mail is not displaying it.
How do I remove the account through Windows 10 Settings?
Windows 10 provides a second supported route through the system account settings. Use it when Mail will not open, the account is not listed in Mail, or you prefer to manage the connection outside the app.
- Open Settings.
- Choose Accounts.
- Open Email & accounts.
- Under accounts used by email, calendar, and contacts, select the account you want to remove.
- Choose Manage.
- Select Delete account from this device.
- Confirm the deletion.
Windows may show slightly different wording depending on the Windows 10 build or the type of account. Look for the command that explicitly says the account will be deleted from this device; that wording distinguishes local removal from closure of the online account.
Which route should you use?
| Route | Where it starts | Best use | Important condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mail app | Mail > Settings gear > Manage accounts | Fastest option when the account appears in Mail | The account must be visible in the Mail account list |
| Mail context menu | Right-click account > Account settings | Convenient when you can see the account in the left pane | Uses the same device-removal command |
| Windows Settings | Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts | When Mail is unavailable or the account is not shown in Mail | The account must appear under accounts used by email, calendar, and contacts |
Both routes remove the local connection. Neither route closes the provider account.
What exactly happens when I delete an account from this device?
Windows removes the account’s connection to the Mail app, its sign-in information stored for that connection, and associated content stored locally on the PC. Mail will stop using that account on the device after confirmation.
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- The account is removed from Mail’s account list.
- Windows removes the sign-in information associated with the device connection.
- Content that had been stored locally for that account is removed from the device.
- The provider’s online mailbox remains in existence.
Because locally stored content is removed, save or export anything you need on the PC before confirming. This instruction concerns the copy held by Windows; it is not a command to erase messages from the provider’s mailbox.
Does removing a Gmail, Yahoo, or Microsoft account delete the online account?
No. “Delete account from this device” is a local disconnection. Microsoft explains that removing an account removes its sign-in information and data from the device rather than deleting the person’s Microsoft account. The same distinction applies when you remove a Gmail or Yahoo connection: the online account and its mailbox are not closed by this Mail action.
To close an online mailbox, you would have to use the email provider’s own account-closure process. That is a separate operation with different consequences and should not be confused with removing the account from Windows 10 Mail.
Three similar-looking actions that are not the same
| Action | What it changes | What it does not change |
|---|---|---|
| Delete account from this device | Removes the Mail connection, device sign-in information, and locally stored account content | Does not close the online mailbox |
| Remove a Windows user account | Changes a Windows sign-in profile and its profile data | Is not the same as removing one email connection from Mail |
| Close an online email account | Uses the provider’s service to end or delete the mailbox | Is not performed by Windows 10 Mail |
Work or school accounts can have additional organization controls. Disconnecting one of those accounts from Mail is still different from removing the Windows user profile or asking the organization to close the account.
Why is “Delete account from this device” missing?
The command may be unavailable when the account is being used as the default Windows account. In that case, Microsoft Community guidance recommends disabling email synchronization for the account before removing its connection.
Turn off email synchronization first
- Open the account’s settings from Mail or from Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts.
- Choose Change mailbox sync settings.
- Under Sync options, turn Email off.
- Choose Done.
- Select Save.
- Return to the account settings and look again for Delete account from this device.
This workaround changes email synchronization before you attempt removal. If the account is still required for another Windows function, disabling email may affect only the email synchronization setting you changed; review the displayed options before saving.
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What should I do if the account still appears after removal?
First, check whether you removed the same address from every place where Windows lists accounts. An account can be visible in Mail, in the Windows Email & accounts page, or both. Use the route where it remains listed and repeat the device-removal command.
If Mail is still open
- Close and reopen Mail so it refreshes its account list.
- Open Settings > Manage accounts and verify whether the address is still present.
- If it is present, select it again and choose Delete account from this device.
If Mail will not open
Use Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts instead. Select the address under accounts used by email, calendar, and contacts, choose Manage, and remove it from the device there.
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If Windows keeps requesting the password
Confirm that the account was actually removed rather than merely disconnected from one Mail view. Check both Mail’s account list and the Windows account page. If the address belongs to a work or school organization, an administrator-managed connection may have policies that affect how it can be disconnected.
Will removing the account affect messages on another device?
No. The removal applies to the Windows 10 device. It does not erase the provider’s online mailbox, so messages stored by that provider remain available through the provider’s normal services and on other devices that still have the account connected.
The local copy on this PC is the part Windows removes. If you need a message, attachment, contact, or calendar item that exists only in a local copy, preserve it before confirming removal.
What should I do before removing an account from a shared or old PC?
Use the following checklist when preparing a computer for another person, returning a work machine, or retiring an old Windows profile:
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- Identify the exact address you intend to remove.
- Check Mail and Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts so you know where the connection is registered.
- Preserve any locally stored information you still need.
- Use Delete account from this device, not an online account-closure control.
- Confirm that the address no longer appears in Mail’s account list.
- If it was a work or school account, follow any organization-specific offboarding instructions as well.
Removing the connection is useful for privacy when another person will use the PC, but it is not a substitute for changing an online account password or closing the mailbox when those actions are required.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can I add the account again later?
Removing the connection does not close the online account, so the mailbox remains available for a future connection. To use it in Mail again, you will need to go through Mail’s account-add process and authenticate with the provider when prompted. Any content shown after reconnecting will depend on what the provider makes available for synchronization.
What if I only want to stop email synchronization?
If you need to keep the account registered but do not want Mail to synchronize messages, use the account’s Change mailbox sync settings page and turn off Email under Sync options, then choose Done > Save. This is different from deleting the account from the device: the account connection remains registered, while email synchronization is disabled.
Frequently asked questions
Does removing an account sign me out of the email provider everywhere?
No. It removes the Windows 10 device’s stored connection. Sessions or connected apps on other devices are not removed by this Mail command.
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Yes. Select only the address you want to remove in Manage accounts or on the Windows Email & accounts page. Other accounts remain connected unless you remove them separately.
Is deleting the Mail app the same as deleting an email account?
No. Removing or resetting an app is an app-level change, while Delete account from this device targets one account connection. Use the account command when your goal is to remove one address but leave Mail available for other accounts.
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Why can the labels look different on my Windows 10 PC?
Windows 10 build versions and account types can change the wording or placement slightly. Look for the path through Manage accounts or Email & accounts, and select the command that explicitly says the account is removed “from this device.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing an account sign me out of the email provider everywhere?
No. It removes the Windows 10 device’s stored connection. Sessions or connected apps on other devices are not removed by this Mail command.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsCan I remove one address while keeping my other Mail accounts?
Yes. Select only the address you want to remove in Manage accounts or on the Windows Email & accounts page. Other accounts remain connected unless you remove them separately.
Is deleting the Mail app the same as deleting an email account?
No. Removing or resetting an app is an app-level change, while Delete account from this device targets one account connection. Use the account command when your goal is to remove one address but leave Mail available for other accounts.
Why can the labels look different on my Windows 10 PC?
Windows 10 build versions and account types can change the wording or placement slightly. Look for the path through Manage accounts or Email & accounts, and select the command that explicitly says the account is removed “from this device.”
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