The fastest way to sign out
To log out of your Google account, click your profile picture in the top right corner of any Google page — Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, or Google Search. A menu will drop down. Click "Sign out" at the bottom of that menu. You are now logged out.
That is the standard method on a computer. On a phone or tablet, the steps are the same: tap your profile picture, then tap "Sign out". The location stays consistent across devices because Google keeps the same layout everywhere you use it.
If you do not see a profile picture, you may already be signed out. Look for a "Sign in" button instead, usually in the top right corner.
Key Takeaways
- Click your profile picture in the top right corner of any Google page and select "Sign out" from the menu that appears.
- Signing out removes your account from that device or browser, but does not delete your account or your data.
- If you use multiple Google accounts on the same device, signing out of one does not sign out the others.
- On a shared computer, always sign out when you finish, because anyone else using that device can access your account if you stay logged in.
Why you might want to sign out
Sign out when you use a shared computer — at a library, school, or someone else's home. If you stay logged in, the next person who uses that device can read your email, access your photos, see your search history, and change your settings. Signing out closes that door.
You should also sign out if you are selling or giving away a device. Before you hand it over, sign out of your account so the new owner cannot access your data. This is especially important for phones and tablets, which often stay logged in for weeks or months.
Signing out is different from deleting your account. When you sign out, your account still exists, your emails are still there, and you can sign back in anytime. Nothing is erased.
What happens when you sign out on different devices
Each device or browser is separate. If you sign out on your phone, you stay logged in on your computer. If you sign out in Chrome, you might still be logged in in Firefox on the same computer. Google treats each browser and each device as its own login.
This means you can have multiple Google accounts active at the same time on different devices, or even in different browser windows on the same computer. Signing out of one account does not touch the others.
If you want to sign out everywhere at once — on all your devices and browsers — you need to change your Google password. That forces every device to sign out and ask for the new password before you can log back in. This is useful if you think someone else has access to your account.
Signing out of Gmail specifically
Gmail is part of your Google account, so signing out of Gmail signs you out of all Google services at once. You do not need to sign out of Gmail separately. The profile picture menu works the same way in Gmail as it does everywhere else.
If you only want to stop seeing Gmail notifications but stay logged in to other Google services, you cannot do that by signing out. Instead, you would turn off notifications in Gmail settings, or remove Gmail from your phone's mail app. Signing out is all-or-nothing for your entire Google account.
Signing out on a phone or tablet
On an iPhone or iPad, open any Google app — Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, or Google Maps. Tap your profile picture, usually in the top right or top left corner. Tap "Sign out" or "Manage your Google Account", then look for a "Sign out" option.
On an Android phone, the steps are the same. Tap your profile picture in a Google app, then tap "Sign out". If you cannot find the profile picture, try opening the app's menu — usually three horizontal lines in the corner — and look for account settings there.
If you sign out of the Gmail app on your phone but the Gmail account is also set up in your phone's mail app, you will still see emails in that mail app. You would need to remove the account from the mail app separately to fully disconnect.
If you cannot find the sign-out button
Some older versions of Google apps or browsers hide the sign-out button in different places. If you do not see your profile picture, try these steps: look for a menu button (three lines or three dots), tap or click it, and search for "Account" or "Settings". From there, you should find a sign-out option.
If you are using a computer and still cannot find it, try going directly to myaccount.google.com. Sign in if needed, then look for "Security" on the left side. Scroll down to "Your devices" and you will see all the places you are currently logged in. You can sign out of any device from that page.
On a phone, if the app does not show a sign-out button, you can remove the account from your phone's settings instead. Go to Settings, find "Accounts" or "Mail", select your Google account, and choose "Remove" or "Delete account". This signs you out and removes the account from that device.
Signing out versus signing in to a different account
You do not have to sign out before signing in to a different Google account. You can click your profile picture and select "Add another account" instead. This lets you switch between accounts without signing out. Both accounts stay active on that device.
However, only one account is "active" at a time — the one whose profile picture appears in the corner. When you click that picture, you can switch to a different account with one tap. The inactive account stays logged in but is not being used.
If you want to remove an account from a device entirely, signing out is the way to do it. Adding another account just adds to the list; it does not replace the old one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does signing out delete my emails or data?
No. Signing out only removes your account from that device or browser. Your emails, photos, documents, and all your data stay on Google's servers. When you sign back in from any device, everything is still there.
Can I sign out of just Gmail and stay logged into YouTube?
No. Gmail and YouTube are both part of your Google account. Signing out of one signs you out of all of them. If you want to use YouTube without Gmail, you would need to sign out completely and then sign in to YouTube separately.
What should I do if I forgot to sign out on a shared computer?
If you are not at that computer anymore, go to myaccount.google.com from any other device, click "Security" on the left, scroll to "Your devices", and sign out of the device you forgot about. You can also change your password, which will sign you out everywhere.
Will signing out log me out of apps on my phone?
It depends on the app. Some apps stay logged in even after you sign out of your Google account on the phone. Others will ask you to sign in again the next time you open them. If you want to be sure an app is logged out, go into that app's settings and look for a sign-out option there.
Is it safe to stay logged in on my home computer?
Yes, if you are the only person who uses that computer. If other people in your household use it, you should sign out when you finish, or use a separate user account for each person. Staying logged in on a shared device is a security risk.