Log Out of One Email Account in Windows Mail App

This guide shows you how to remove or sign out of a single email account in the Windows Mail app without affecting your other accounts. This is useful when you want to stop receiving emails from an old address, fix a sync problem, or hand a device to someone else. You only need access to the Mail app itself; no passwords or external tools are required.

What You’ll Need

A Windows PC with the Mail app installed (it comes preinstalled with Windows 10 and 11).
Your Windows login credentials if the device is password-protected.

Step-by-Step

Open the Mail app. Click the Start button (Windows logo) and type Mail, then select the Mail app from the search results. Alternatively, find it in the Start menu under the alphabetical list of apps.
Go to Settings. In the Mail app, click the gear icon (⚙️) located in the lower-left corner of the window. This opens the Settings pane on the right side of the screen.
Select “Manage Accounts.” In the Settings pane, click Manage Accounts. This will show a list of all email accounts currently configured in the Mail app.
Choose the account you want to remove. Click on the email account you wish to log out of. This will open a new window or pane with account-specific options.
Click “Delete account.” In the account settings, look for a button labeled Delete account (usually at the bottom). Click it.
Confirm the deletion. A dialog box will appear asking if you are sure you want to delete this account. Read the warning—it will tell you that emails already downloaded will be removed from the app. Click Delete to confirm.
Wait for the process to finish. The Mail app will remove the account and its cached emails. This may take a few seconds. Once done, you’ll be returned to the account list, and the removed account will no longer appear.
Close Settings. Click the gear icon again or press Esc to close the Settings pane. Your remaining email accounts will still be active and syncing normally.

Common Mistakes

Deleting the wrong account. Double-check the email address listed before clicking Delete. The account name may be a display name (e.g., “Work”) rather than the full email address, so verify it matches.
Confusing “Delete” with “Remove from device.” Some accounts (like Outlook.com or Office 365) offer a “Remove from device” option that only stops syncing on that PC but keeps the account on Microsoft’s servers. The Mail app’s “Delete account” removes it entirely from the app. For a full logout, use Delete.
Not realizing downloaded emails are erased. When you delete an account, the Mail app also deletes the locally stored copies of emails from that account. If you need those emails, back them up or export them before deleting.
Deleting the primary Microsoft account. If you use your Microsoft account (Outlook.com, Hotmail, etc.) to sign into Windows itself, deleting it from the Mail app does not remove it from Windows. It only removes it from Mail. However, be aware that some system settings may reset if you later remove the Microsoft account from Windows entirely.

Tips

Use “Remove from device” for temporary access. If you plan to re-add the account later (e.g., after a trip), choose “Remove from device” instead of Delete. This keeps the account configuration on Microsoft’s servers, making re-adding faster.
Check other apps. If the account is also used in Calendar or People apps, deleting it from Mail will also remove it from those apps because they share the same account data.
Re-add an account easily. To add the account back later, go to Settings > Manage Accounts > Add account, and select the email provider. You’ll need your password and any two-factor authentication code.
Clean up after deleting. After deletion, check that the account no longer appears in the left sidebar of the Mail app. If it still shows, restart the Mail app.

Troubleshooting

The “Delete account” button is grayed out. This usually happens if the account is the only one in the Mail app. Windows Mail requires at least one account to function. Add a temporary account (e.g., a secondary email) first, then delete the one you want to remove.
The account reappears after restarting Mail. This can happen if the account is synced through a Microsoft account that is also used by other Windows apps. Go to Windows Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts, find the account, and remove it there as well.
Error message “Something went wrong” during deletion. Close the Mail app completely (right-click the icon in the taskbar and choose “Close window”), then reopen it and try again. If it persists, restart your PC.
Emails from the deleted account still appear. This can happen if the emails were copied to a local folder or if another account is forwarding them. Check your remaining accounts’ folders for any duplicates, and delete them manually.
Cannot find the account in the list. If the account is missing from Manage Accounts but still shows in the sidebar, it may be a broken entry. Try adding the same account again, then delete it. This often clears the corrupted entry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does deleting an account from the Mail app delete my emails on the server?
A: No. Deleting the account only removes it from the Mail app and deletes the locally cached copies. Your emails remain on your email provider’s server (e.g., Gmail, Outlook.com). You can access them via a web browser or by re-adding the account later.

Q: Can I log out of one account without deleting it?
A: The Mail app does not have a “sign out” button per account. The only way to stop syncing is to delete the account or use “Remove from device” if available. Both stop the account from appearing in the app.

Q: Will deleting an account affect my other accounts in the Mail app?
A: No. Each account is independent. Deleting one will not change the settings or emails of your other accounts.

Q: How do I re-add the account after deleting it?
A: Go to Settings > Manage Accounts > Add account. Choose your provider (Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo, etc.), enter your email address and password, and follow the prompts. You may need to allow “less secure apps” or generate an app password if you use two-factor authentication.

Q: The delete option is not available for my IMAP account. Why?
A: Some IMAP accounts (like those set up manually) may not show a Delete button if the account is considered “system-managed.” Try removing it from Windows Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts instead, then reopen Mail.

Q: Will this also remove the account from the Calendar and People apps?
A: Yes. The Mail, Calendar, and People apps share the same account data. Deleting the account from Mail will remove it from all three apps.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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