How to Delete an Email Account on an iPhone

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.

1. ​Open Settings.

2. Scroll down and select Mail > Accounts.

3. Choose the email account you want to remove.

4. Select ​Delete Account.

5. To confirm, select Delete Account or, in some cases, tap ​Delete from 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'll no 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 for POP accounts either.

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

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

1. ​In the Settings app, scroll down and select Mail > Accounts.

2. Choose an email account.

3. For IMAP and Exchange accounts, turn off the Mail toggle switch. For POP email accounts, turn off ​Account​.

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:

1. ​In the Settings app, scroll down and select Mail > Accounts.

2. Tap Fetch New Data.

3. Choose the email account.

4. 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:

1. From the Settings app, open Notifications.

2. Scroll down and select Mail.

3. Select the account for which you want to disable new mail notifications.

4. Turn off the Allow Notifications toggle switch.

How to Hide a Mailbox Within the Mail App

To hide an account's inbox from the top of the Mail Mailboxes screen:

1. From the Mail app, swipe left to display the Mailboxes screen.

2. Select Edit.

3. 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.

4. Choose Done to save the changes.

You will receive notifications for emails from VIP senders. Notifications for 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 to ​Notifications​ > ​Mail​ > ​VIP​.