How to Delete an Email Account on an iPhone (2024)

This article explains how to delete an email account from an iPhone. These instructions apply to iOS 12 and later, but the steps are similar for all recent versions of the Apple mobile operating system.

How to Remove an Email Account From an iPhone

Email accounts accessed through the Mail app are managed not from Mail, but from iOS. So to add or remove an account, you'll work through the Settings app, not the Mail app.

Removing an email account from the Mail app does not delete the email account, but it does remove all emails from your device. You can still access the account via a web browser.

Open Settings.
Scroll down and select Mail > Accounts.
Choose the email account you want to remove.
SelectDeleteAccount.
To confirm, select Delete Account or, in some cases, tapDeletefrom My iPhone.

Considerations for Email Account Removal

Before you remove an email account, evaluate the implications.

Deleting an Email Account Removes all Emails From the iPhone

IMAP, POP, and Exchange, as well as accounts configured with automatic settings (such as Gmail, Outlook.com, and iCloud Mail), will have all content wiped from the iPhone—iOS Mail removes all emails and folders listed and created under the account. In other words, you'llno longer see messages in the Mail app.

Deleting an Email Account From the iPhone Doesn't Delete the Account

When an email account is deleted from an iPhone, the email account and address remain unchanged. You can still receive and send emails on the web or in other email programs set up to use the email account.

Deleting an Email Account Doesn't Delete the Emails From the Server

For IMAP and Exchange accounts, nothing changes on the server or in any other email program set up to access the same account. iPhone Mail stops accessing the messages and folders, and you are no longer able to send email from the account using that app. Nothing changes forPOP accounts either.

With POP, the iPhone may be the only place where emails are stored. This is the case if iOS Mail is set up to delete emails from the server after downloading them and the messages have not been saved anywhere else.

Deleting Calendars and Other Features of Your Account

Deleting an email account from an iPhone also removes calendars, notes, to-do items, and contacts that use this account. If you want access to those features, disable only the email for that account.

How to Disable Email from Your Account

Toturn off an email account on the iPhone but not disable access to the calendar:

How to Turn Off Notifications Only

You can also disable automatic mail checking or notifications for the account. Then you can receive and send messages from the account, but it remains hidden from sight and out of the way.

To turn off automatic mail checking for an account on an iPhone:

In the Settings app, scroll down and select Mail > Accounts.
Tap Fetch New Data.
Choose the email account.
Select Manual. To find the Manual option on older versions of iOS, tap Select Schedule.

How to Disable Notifications for New Messages

To disable only notifications for new messages you receive at an iPhone email account, while the messages are still downloaded automatically and ready once you open Mail:

From the Settings app, open Notifications.
Scroll down and select Mail.
Select the account for which you want to disable new mail notifications.
See Also
How to Delete iCloud Account Without Password on iPhone/iPad
Turn off the Allow Notifications toggle switch.

Some older versions of iOS have different settings. If you don't see the above, go to Alert style when unlocked and select None. Also, turn off Show in Notification Centerand Showon Lock Screen. Optionally, disable theBadge App Icon.

How to Hide a Mailbox Within the Mail App

To hide an account's inboxfrom the top of the MailMailboxesscreen:

From the Mail app, swipe left to display theMailboxesscreen.
SelectEdit.
Clear the check mark next to the mail account.
To move an inbox or account, drag the three-bar icon (≡) next to the account to a different place in the list.
Choose Done to save the changes.

To open an account's inbox, go to the Mailboxes screen, select the account, and tapInbox.

You will receive notifications for emails from VIP senders. Notificationsfor these messages are handled separately; you receive them even if you have notifications turned off for an account. To change the VIP notification settings, go toNotifications >Mail >VIP.

The same applies to thread notifications.If iOS Mail is set to alert you to replies you receive in a conversation, the settings for thread notifications apply instead of those for the account where you receive the email. To change alert settings, open the Settings app and go to Notifications > Mail > Thread Notifications.

FAQ

How do I manage an email account on an iPhone?

Tap the Mail app and choose an email account. Swipe left on a single email and select More. The More screen includes the usual Reply, Reply All, and Forward choices as well as Mark as Read, Archive Message, Flag, Mute, and others. Note that this only works with one email at a time.
How do I bulk delete emails from an account on an iPhone?

Scroll through the list of emails and tap the ones you want to delete. Select Trash at the bottom of the screen. There is no Select All option in the Mail app on the iPhone, so this is the best way to remove emails in bulk.
Why is the email account on my iPhone offline?

This can happen if you have disabled Cellular Data for the Mail app. Check it by going to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data and confirm the slider is in the On position. If you've travelled recently, check that Airplane Mode is turned off. It can also cause your email account to be offline.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for letting us know!

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

Tell us why!