The Mail app is one of the many apps offered with Windows 10. The official Mail app was first introduced with Windows 8, and the same has been dramatically improved in Windows 10 with new features and options.
The official Mail in Windows 10 is definitely one of the better email apps out there for Windows operating system. Although it’s not as superior as Outlook or some other third-party desktop clients around, the app offers most of the features that you expect to see in a good email client.
If you have added multiple email accounts to the Mail app, you likely want to remove or sign out of an account at some point in time for some reason. For instance, if you had added a Gmail account to Windows 10 Mail, you might want to sign out of your Gmail account before allowing others to access your PC.
Luckily, you can sign out of your email accounts added to the Mail app with ease in Windows 10. However, it’s not possible to sign out of the Microsoft account that you have been using to sign in to Windows 10. In other words, this applies to only users who have been using a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 10.
This is because, when you begin using a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 10, the same Microsoft account is automatically added to the Mail app, and you can’t sign out of this account or remove the email account without switching your Microsoft account to local account.
Steps how to sign out of an email account in Windows 10 Mail
Step 1: Launch the Mail app.
Step 2: Click or tap the Settings icon to reveal the Settings pane.
Step 3: Click or tap Manage Accounts to view all email accounts that have been added to the Mail app.
Step 4: Click or tap on the email account that you want to remove or that you want to sign out of. This will open the Account settings dialog.
Step 5: Finally, click or tap the Delete account from this device.
Step 6: Click or tap the Delete button when you see the following confirmation dialog to sign out of the account and remove the email account from the Mail app as well as your device.
And if you’re not getting Delete account option, it’s because you’re using that Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 10. To sign out of it, as mentioned earlier in this post, you need to migrate your Microsoft account to a local account first and then follow the above-given instructions.
Karen says
Asinine that I can’t log off my email on desk top app. Why did u do this?
Mike says
“Can someone please put Bill Gates out of his misery for the DUMBEST app ever developed by Microsoft. In what bazzarro world are you not able to do the most simplest of task which is to “LOG OUT”. ”
“This is total bullshit.. whoever thought this idea was genius definitely lack understanding.”
Still in total agreement.
Blessing says
This is total bullshit.. whoever thought this idea was genius definitely lack understanding
CFM says
Asinine — but leave it to Microsoft!!! Hard to believe they did this — Just a matter of time before everyone defects from this nonsense!! It’s insulting — they’re going to dictate how you use YOUR computer —
Alexandra Trevino says
It did work.thanks for this help.i really appreciated.thank you so so so much, you saved my life. Greetings from Texas.
LH says
Just do what I do and delete the entire app and use your browser to read mail. That version has a sign out button. I can’t comprehend who thought removing it from the regular version was a good idea.
Norbert says
Can someone please put Bill Gates out of his misery for the DUMBEST app ever developed by Microsoft. In what bazzarro world are you not able to do the most simplest of task which is to “LOG OUT”.
Harmony says
I agree! My son has now started messing with my email when I let him use the computer. I should be able to log out and let him do his homework without worrying that he’s going through my email. I think I might have to switch to something else also.
Michael Markey says
What a piece of crap!! You mean that to just shut off an email account I have to delete it? I thought Microsoft had people working their that had at least a touch of intelligence! Man was I mistaken!
Don says
This is ridiculous. I realize deleting the account just deletes it from outlook, but it also means I have to go through the process of adding it again if I want to use the Mail app. Why not just have the ability to sign out of that email account. Now that I see how bad this app is, how do I revoke my permission for the Mail app (and by extension MICROSOFT) to access my gmail account. BTW…I went to Linux on my other desktop years ago. I decided to give MS another chance with this new laptop. Seriously thinking Linux again…not that MS cares of course.
martina says
Ok I get it. By deleting I was finally able to sign out. Thank you.
SISHIR says
An early solution of sign out problem is highly solicited from windows 10.
Joetta Whitehust says
I don’t understand this at all. You are virtually forcing us to use our pcs the way YOU see fit. I am seriously thinking of deleting all of microsoft and using another app. Let me be sure first are you saying to protect my e-mails I muse DELETE my acct. each time?? Why would you put all these extra unneeded steps?
Tai says
I am in such a trouble. After I deleted my email account from this computer (company computer), I found it’s not asking password to adding me back in. Simply choose my account name shown at very top and it’s added back… I can’t remove it from the option list. Everyone can possibly check my personal emails now since their is remote desktop on this computer.
Chris says
Can’t log out? I’m dropping win10. Been finding issue after issue. Desperately trying to force users to use their apps. Poorly hidden redirection and roadblocks. I’m out. Going to Linux.
Vicki Bermudez says
I mean…
“How absolutely ridiculous that none of us can sign out. I guess it’s not just me. Stupid stupid stupid app”
Vicki Bermudez says
Oh my goodness…I sooooo agree with the above comments! I thought it was just me, that couldn’t figure out how to sign out of my own email. How absolutely ridiculous that none of us can’t sign out. I guess it’s not just me. Stupid stupid stupid app.
Suresh Chowdary says
Not useful at all, here we are not asking for deletion of an account which can done by everyone, don’t post the bullshit articles.
As of my opinion micro soft outlook itself doesn’t hold logout option, You have to exit directly from application and if some one wanted to use they have to re-open account again by validating their credentials.
Tony Chia says
I am totally pissed off that Windows 10 makes it so complicated and unproductive just to log off from an email account.
What is the hidden agenda behind this and if there is no agenda better fire those who are behind this stupid idea.
Putnam says
Time to change email service. We should just be able to sign out so someone else can use the same computer and not see my email. I’m done with outlook and Hotmail.
Sandra says
When someone just wants to sign out of their email, to stop other people using the computer from seeing their email, why the hell would some supposedly intelligent person lead them through a process to DELETE their mail account??? Do they think people are complete morons?? I am sure most every person has been to that setting, and knew how to delete their accounts if they wanted to! And why the hell would Windows have such an crap app that you cannot sign out of your email account when you leave the computer! Very pissed!!
Amir says
Thank you so much this article really helped me.
Asashii says
Windows 10 sucks, Malware the operating system, no thanks, typed this on open source Cent OS.
hlamarisa says
i have the same problem, all i want to do is logout of the mail app not delete it. If thats the only option does it mean i have to delete and load it all the time? its a Gmail account. Must say that Winodws 10 is not user friendly at all..
estelle says
I would like to just sign out of my email…not delete it????? just like I did before.
Anu says
I don’t have Delete Account option. Please help.
John WAlsh says
This must be the most complicated piece of BS invented in a long time……..and certainly not invented for the user’s benefit! We do not always access our mail on our own PC……..people have known this since email was invented.
Robin says
What is a local account and how to I switch to it from Microsoft? I’m trying to logout of email because it won’t sync. Any suggestions?
Bill says
Yes, but you can always re-add the account to Windows 10 Mail later.
Sumaya says
Will this delete the account forever?!