What "default Gmail account" means and why it matters
Your default Gmail account is the one that opens automatically when you click a Gmail link, sign into a Google service, or use Gmail on your phone. If you have more than one Gmail address, your device or browser remembers which one you set as the default and logs you in to that one first. Changing it means picking a different account to be the one that opens by default.
This is different from switching between accounts once you are already logged in. You are changing which account your device or browser treats as "the main one" — the one that loads without you having to pick it from a list.
The steps differ depending on whether you use Gmail in a web browser, on an Android phone, on an iPhone, or in the Gmail app. Each platform stores this setting in a different place.
Key Takeaways
- On a computer, your default Gmail account is the one shown first when you open Gmail or click a Gmail link — change it by signing out of all accounts and signing back in to your preferred one first.
- On Android, go to Settings > Accounts and remove the default account, then add it back in the order you want them to appear.
- On iPhone, the default account is whichever one you added to your phone first — remove it from Settings > Mail > Accounts and add it again to change the order.
- Gmail itself does not have a "set default account" button; the default is always whichever account is listed first in your account list.
Changing your default account in a web browser
Open Gmail in your browser and look at the top right corner. You will see a circle with your initial or profile picture. Click it. A menu appears showing all the Gmail accounts you are signed into on this browser. The one at the top of that list is your default account.
To change which one is default, sign out of all accounts first. Click your profile picture, then click "Sign out of all accounts" at the bottom of the menu. Then sign back in, but this time sign into the account you want to be default first. Once you sign into that one, you can sign into your other accounts. The first one you signed back in to will now be the default.
If you only have one account on this browser, it is already your default. Adding a second account does not change which one is default unless you sign out and sign back in in a different order.
Changing your default account on Android
Open your phone's Settings app. Scroll down and tap Accounts (or Accounts and backup depending on your phone model). You will see a list of all accounts on your phone, including Gmail accounts. The order they appear in is the order Android treats them — the first one is the default.
To change which Gmail account is default, find the one you want to be first and remember its name. Then find the account that is currently first and tap it. Tap Remove account. Android will ask you to confirm — tap Remove account again. Now go back to Accounts, and you will see your other Gmail account is first. Tap Add account, choose Google, and sign back into the account you just removed. It will now be added to the bottom of the list, making your other account the new default.
This method works because Android always treats the first account in the list as the default. Removing and re-adding an account moves it to the end of the list.
Changing your default account on iPhone
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap Mail. Tap Accounts. You will see all the email accounts on your phone, including Gmail. The account at the top of this list is the default one.
To change which Gmail account is default, tap the account that is currently first. Tap Delete Account at the bottom. Confirm by tapping Delete. Go back to Settings > Mail > Accounts. Now tap Add Account, choose Google, and sign into the account you just deleted. It will be added to the bottom of the list, making your other Gmail account the new default.
Like Android, iPhone treats the first account in the list as the default. You cannot reorder accounts directly — you have to remove and re-add them in the order you want.
Changing your default account in the Gmail app
Open the Gmail app on your phone. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner. You will see all the Gmail accounts you are signed into in this app. The one at the top is the default.
The Gmail app itself does not have a setting to change the default account. Instead, the default is determined by your phone's account settings (Android or iPhone settings, described above). If you change the default account in your phone's Settings app, the Gmail app will reflect that change automatically the next time you open it.
If you want a different account to be default in the Gmail app, change it in your phone's Settings app first, then open Gmail again.
What happens when you change your default account
Once you change your default account, that account will be the one that opens when you click a Gmail link from another website or app. It will also be the one that appears first when you open Gmail or when you use Google services like Google Drive or Google Photos.
You can still switch to your other accounts once Gmail is open — changing the default does not delete your other accounts or prevent you from using them. It only changes which one loads first.
If you use Gmail on multiple devices (a phone, a tablet, and a computer), each device has its own default account setting. Changing the default on your phone does not change it on your computer. You will need to change it separately on each device if you want the same account to be default everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my default account delete my other Gmail accounts?
No. Changing your default account only changes which one opens first. All your other accounts remain on your device and you can still sign into them. You can switch between accounts at any time by clicking your profile picture and choosing a different account.
Can I set a default account in Gmail's settings menu?
Gmail does not have a "default account" setting inside the app itself. The default is always whichever account appears first in your account list. To change it, you change the order of accounts in your device's settings (on Android or iPhone) or by signing out and signing back in on a computer.
Why does my default account keep changing back?
If you sign into a new account on your device, it often gets added to the top of the list, making it the new default. Check your phone's Settings > Accounts or your browser's account list to see the current order. Remove the account that moved to the top and re-add it if you want your original default back.
Does changing my default account on my phone change it on my computer?
No. Each device stores its own default account setting separately. If you want the same account to be default on all your devices, you will need to change it on each one individually — your phone, your tablet, your computer, and your browser.
What if I only have one Gmail account?
If you only have one Gmail account on your device or browser, it is automatically your default. There is nothing to change. You can add a second account if you need one, and then follow the steps above to choose which one is default.