What "default Google account" means and why you might want to change it
Your default Google account is the one that automatically signs you into Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, and other Google services when you open them. It is also the account Google uses to remember your preferences, search history, and saved passwords. If you have more than one Google account — say, one for work and one personal — your default account is whichever one you signed into first or most recently.
You might want to change your default account if you switched jobs, share a device with someone else, or simply prefer to use a different account for your daily work. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are on a computer, phone, or tablet, but the principle is the same: you sign out of the current default and sign in to the one you want instead.
Key Takeaways
- Your default Google account is the one that opens automatically when you visit Gmail or other Google services, and it is set by whichever account you signed in to most recently.
- On a computer, you can switch between multiple signed-in accounts without signing out, or sign out completely and sign back in with a different account.
- On a phone or tablet, you typically need to sign out of the current account in Settings before signing in to a different one as your default.
- If you use Google Chrome, your browser default account is separate from your device default and must be changed in Chrome settings, not your device settings.
- Once you change your default account, Google will remember that choice and use it automatically the next time you open Google services on that device.
Changing your default account on Windows or Mac
On a computer, the easiest way is to sign out completely and sign back in with the account you want as your default. Open Gmail or any Google service in your web browser. Look for your profile picture or initial in the top right corner and click it. A menu will appear with the option to Sign out. Click that option.
Once you are signed out, go back to Gmail.com or Google.com. You will see a sign-in screen. Enter the email address and password for the account you want to make your default. Google will now treat this as your default account on that browser and device. The next time you open a Google service, this account will load automatically.
If you use multiple Google accounts regularly and do not want to sign out each time, you can keep multiple accounts signed in at once. Click your profile picture again and select Add another account. Sign in with the second account. Now you can switch between them by clicking your profile picture and selecting which account you want to use. The one you click becomes your active account for that session, but your original account remains your default for the next time you close and reopen the browser.
Changing your default account on iPhone or iPad
On an Apple device, open the Settings app. Scroll down and look for Google or Gmail in the list of apps. Tap it. You will see a list of all Google accounts currently signed in on your device. Tap the account you want to remove or change.
If you want to remove an account entirely, look for a Remove account or Delete option and tap it. Confirm when prompted. If you want to keep the account but change which one is your default, sign out of all accounts first, then sign back in with only the account you want as your default. Open Gmail or another Google app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and select Sign in. Enter the email and password for your preferred account.
After you sign in, that account becomes your default. Any Google service you open on your iPhone or iPad will now load with this account first. If you need to use a second account occasionally, you can add it later using the same process, but your first account will remain the default.
Changing your default account on Android
On an Android phone or tablet, open Settings. Scroll down to find Accounts or Accounts and passwords (the exact name varies by device). Tap it, then look for Google in the list of account types. Tap Google to see all Google accounts on your device.
You will see a list of every Google account currently signed in. The one at the top is usually your default, but to be certain, look for a checkmark or the word Primary next to an account name. If you want to change which account is primary, tap the account you want to make your default. Look for an option like Make primary or Set as default and tap it.
If that option does not appear, you may need to remove the current default account first. Tap the account you want to remove, then look for Remove account or Delete. Confirm the removal. Then go back to the Accounts menu, tap Google, and the remaining account will become your default automatically.
Changing your default account in Google Chrome
If you use Google Chrome as your browser, your Chrome default account is separate from your device default account. You can have one default account on your phone but a different one in Chrome. To change your Chrome default, open Chrome and tap the three-dot menu in the bottom right corner (on phone) or top right corner (on computer). Select Settings.
Look for Sync and Google services or Accounts. You will see which Google account is currently synced to Chrome. Tap or click on that account. You will see options to Manage your Google Account or Sign out. If you want to switch to a different account, tap Sign out, then sign back in with the account you want Chrome to use as default.
This change affects only Chrome — your device default account remains unchanged. This is useful if you want to keep work email as your device default but use a personal account in your browser, or vice versa.
What happens after you change your default account
Once you change your default account, Google services will remember that choice. The next time you open Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, or Google Search on that device or browser, your new default account will load automatically. Your search history, saved passwords, and personalized recommendations will switch to that account.
Any files, emails, or settings tied to your old default account will not move to the new one — they stay in the old account. If you need to access them, you will have to sign into the old account separately. Bookmarks in Chrome, however, are tied to your Chrome account, so if you change your Chrome default, your bookmarks will change too.
Troubleshooting: Your default account is not changing
If you sign out and sign back in but the wrong account still loads, try clearing your browser cache. On a computer, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Command + Shift + Delete (Mac). Select All time and make sure Cookies and other site data is checked. Click Clear data. Then sign out of Google completely and sign back in.
On a phone, the same issue usually means you have not fully signed out of the old account. Go back to Settings, find the Accounts section, and make sure the old account is completely removed before signing in with the new one. If you are using Chrome on a phone and the default is not changing, try uninstalling and reinstalling Chrome, as cached data sometimes persists even after signing out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have two Google accounts as defaults at the same time?
No, only one account can be your default on a device or browser. However, you can keep multiple accounts signed in and switch between them manually. On a computer, click your profile picture and select which account you want to use. On a phone, you can add multiple accounts in Settings and switch between them in each app's menu.
If I change my default account, will I lose my emails or files?
No. Your emails, files, and settings stay in the account they belong to. Changing your default account only changes which account opens automatically. You can still access your old account by signing into it separately on the same device.
Does changing my default Google account affect my Gmail password?
No. Changing your default account does not change any passwords. You will still use the same password to sign into each account. If you forget a password, you can reset it through the Google sign-in page on any device.
What if I share a device with someone else and want different defaults?
On a computer, you can create separate user accounts in Windows or macOS, and each user can have their own default Google account. On a phone or tablet, you cannot create separate device users, so you would need to sign out and sign in each time you switch users, or use separate devices.
Will changing my default account on my phone change it on my computer too?
No. Your default account is set separately on each device and browser. You can have one default on your phone and a completely different one on your computer. Changes on one device do not affect the others.