How to Delete an Email Account From Outlook

Removing an email account from Microsoft Outlook is a straightforward process, but the exact steps depend on which version of Outlook you're using, which operating system you're on, and whether you want to remove the account entirely or just stop syncing it. Getting this wrong can leave behind cached data, orphaned profiles, or — in some cases — cause Outlook to behave unexpectedly on next launch.

Here's what you need to know before you start.

What "Deleting" an Account in Outlook Actually Means

When you remove an email account from Outlook, you're disconnecting it from the Outlook client — not deleting the actual email account itself. Your Gmail, Outlook.com, or work email address still exists. You're just telling the Outlook application to stop syncing, displaying, and storing mail from that account locally.

This distinction matters. If you added a Gmail account to Outlook and remove it, your Gmail inbox is completely unaffected. Emails stored only in a local PST or OST file, however, may become inaccessible after removal.

How to Remove an Email Account in Outlook on Windows (Desktop App)

These steps apply to Outlook 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365 on Windows:

1. Open Outlook and click File in the top-left menu.
2. Select Account Settings, then click Account Settings again from the dropdown.
3. In the Email tab, select the account you want to remove.
4. Click Remove.
5. Confirm when prompted.

Outlook will warn you that removing the account will also delete locally downloaded content. If the account used an OST file (common with Exchange, Microsoft 365, and IMAP accounts), that file may still remain on your hard drive after removal — it won't automatically be deleted.

⚠️ If the Account Is Your Only or Default Account

If you're trying to remove the primary account from a profile, Outlook may not allow a simple removal. In that case, your better option is to delete the entire Outlook profile and create a new one:

1. Go to Control Panel → Mail → Show Profiles.
2. Select the profile and click Remove.
3. Restart Outlook and set up a new profile with only the accounts you want.

This approach gives you a clean slate but means reconfiguring any additional accounts.

How to Remove an Email Account in Outlook on Mac

The process on Outlook for Mac differs from the Windows version:

1. Open Outlook and go to Tools → Accounts (or Outlook → Preferences → Accounts on older versions).
2. Select the account you want to remove from the left sidebar.
3. Click the minus (–) button at the bottom of the list.
4. Confirm the removal.

On Mac, Outlook stores account data differently than Windows. Cached mail and contact data may persist in local folders until you manually clear them.

How to Remove an Email Account in the Outlook Mobile App 📱

On iOS or Android, removing an account is handled through the app settings:

1. Tap your profile icon or initials in the top-left corner.
2. Tap the Settings gear icon.
3. Select the email account you want to remove.
4. Scroll down and tap Delete Account.

Mobile removal is cleaner — the app clears synced content from the device when you remove the account. No residual data files are left behind the way they can be on desktop.

How to Remove an Account From Outlook on the Web (Outlook.com)

If you're using Outlook.com in a browser (not the desktop app), the process is different again. You can manage connected accounts (like Gmail or Yahoo inboxes you've linked to your Outlook.com inbox):

1. Go to Settings → View all Outlook settings.
2. Click Mail → Sync email.
3. Under Connected accounts, select the account and choose Delete.

This removes the sync connection but, again, doesn't affect the source account.

Key Variables That Affect the Process

What Happens to Your Local Email Data After Removal

This is the part most guides skip over. When you remove an account:

• OST files (used by Exchange and IMAP accounts) remain on disk at C:Users[YourName]AppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlook. You can delete these manually.
• PST files you've created for local archiving are not removed and can be re-attached to any Outlook profile.
• Contacts and calendar data synced from the account will disappear from Outlook's view once the account is removed.

If you're removing a work account managed by an IT department, there may be additional steps or restrictions — particularly with Microsoft 365 or Exchange accounts enrolled in mobile device management (MDM) policies.

The New Outlook App on Windows

Microsoft has been rolling out a redesigned "New Outlook" app for Windows as a replacement for the classic desktop client. Its account management interface more closely resembles Outlook.com settings than the traditional desktop experience. If you've switched to the new version, look under Settings → Accounts → Email accounts to find removal options.

The steps above for the classic desktop app won't map exactly to the new Outlook — which version you're running changes where the controls live and what options are available to you.

How straightforward the removal process turns out to be depends heavily on which Outlook version you're running, how that account was originally set up, and whether there's local data you need to preserve or hand off first.