You can add another Gmail account to the same browser window or phone, so you can switch between them without signing out

Gmail lets you manage multiple accounts in one place. You can add a second Gmail account (or a third, or more) to your existing one, then switch between them by clicking your profile picture. The accounts stay separate — your emails, contacts, and settings in one account do not show up in the other. This is different from forwarding mail or creating an alias; you are actually signing into multiple accounts at the same time.

The steps are the same whether you are on a computer, phone, or tablet. You will need to know the password for the account you want to add. If you do not have the password, you can reset it before you start.

Key Takeaways

  • You can add up to four Gmail accounts to the same browser or phone without signing out of the first one.
  • Adding an account takes less than a minute if you already know the password.
  • Each account keeps its own inbox, contacts, and settings — nothing mixes between them.
  • On a phone, you add accounts through Settings, not through the Gmail app itself.
  • If you forget the password for the account you want to add, you can reset it on the Gmail sign-in page before you start.

How to add an account on a computer

Open Gmail in your web browser. Look at the top right corner of the screen, where you see your profile picture or initial inside a circle. Click on it.

A menu will drop down. At the bottom of that menu, you will see "Add another account". Click on it. Gmail will open a new sign-in page.

Type the email address of the account you want to add, then click Next. Type the password for that account, then click Next. If Gmail asks you to verify your identity (usually by entering a code sent to a recovery email or phone number), do that now. Once you sign in, you are done — the new account is now added.

You will now see both accounts in that profile menu. Click on either one to switch between them. Your inbox, settings, and contacts will change to match whichever account you clicked.

How to add an account on an iPhone or Android phone

The Gmail app itself does not have an "add account" button. Instead, you add accounts through your phone's Settings app.

On an iPhone: Open Settings, scroll down and tap Gmail, then tap Add Account. Type the email address and password for the account you want to add. If Gmail asks for verification, complete that step. Tap Save when you are done.

On Android: Open Settings, scroll down and tap Accounts (or Accounts and Backup, depending on your phone model), then tap Add Account. Tap Google. Type the email address and password. If Gmail asks for verification, complete that step. Tap Accept when you are done.

Once the account is added, open the Gmail app. Tap your profile picture at the top left. You will see both accounts listed. Tap the one you want to read. The app will switch to that account's inbox.

What to do if you forgot the password for the account you want to add

You cannot add an account without its password. If you do not remember it, you will need to reset it first.

Go to the Gmail sign-in page (accounts.google.com). Click "Forgot password?" Type the email address of the account you want to add. Gmail will ask you to verify your identity — usually by entering a code sent to a recovery email or phone number you set up when you created the account. Once you verify, you can create a new password. After that, go back to the steps above and add the account using the new password.

How many accounts you can add at once

You can add up to four Gmail accounts to the same browser or phone. If you try to add a fifth, Gmail will ask you to remove one of the others first.

This limit applies to each device separately. You can have four accounts on your phone and four different accounts on your computer at the same time — they do not share a limit.

What happens to your accounts when you sign out

If you sign out of Gmail on your computer or phone, all the accounts you added will sign out too. When you sign back in, you will only see the account you signed in with — the others will be gone from that device until you add them again.

If you want to keep an account signed in on your phone but remove it from your computer, you can do that. Removing an account from one device does not remove it from others.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a non-Gmail email address (like Outlook or Yahoo) to Gmail?

No, you can only add Gmail accounts to Gmail this way. If you want to read a non-Gmail email in Gmail, you need to set up forwarding or use Gmail's "Check mail from other accounts" feature instead, which is a different process.

Will adding another account send notifications to both inboxes?

No. Each account gets its own notifications based on its own settings. If you turn on notifications for one account but not the other, you will only see alerts for the one you turned on.

Can someone else add their account to my phone without my permission?

Yes, if they have access to your phone and know their password. If you share a phone with someone, consider using a PIN or fingerprint to lock your Settings app, or ask them to add their account to their own device instead.

What if I add an account by mistake and want to remove it?

On a computer, click your profile picture, then click the account you want to remove, then click "Remove this account". On a phone, go to Settings, find the Gmail account, and tap Remove or Delete. The account itself is not deleted — it just stops being signed in on that device.