How do you permanently delete an email account

Updated: 07/31/2022 by

This page details the steps to delete an unused or unwanted e-mail account, not how to remove specific contacts. As you may have guessed, the answer to this question depends on the e-mail client or webmail service you use. Note that with many e-mail services, your account expires if it's not used for an exceptionally long period. To proceed, choose your e-mail client from the list below and follow the instructions.

Google Gmail

1. Sign in to My Account.
2. On the left side of the screen, select Data & privacy.

1. Scroll down to the Data from apps and services you use section and, under Download or delete your data, click Delete a Google service.

1. Enter your Google password.
2. On the Delete a Google service page, locate the Gmail service and click the trash icon next to it.

1. Enter an alternative e-mail address, where Google can send the confirmation link to delete your Gmail account. Then click the Send verification email link.

Note

If you are only deleting your Gmail account, this alternate e-mail address becomes your new Google account username.

1. Open the verification e-mail and click the provided link.
2. In the prompt, select Yes I want to delete my Gmail account.
3. Click Delete Gmail.
4. Click the
   
   button.

• How to recover a Google account.

Outlook.com (formerly Hotmail)

Warning

To close an Outlook.com e-mail account, you need to delete your entire Microsoft account. All e-mails and contacts are permanently deleted and any associated accounts (e.g., OneDrive, Xbox, Skype, etc.) are no longer accessible.

1. Open an Internet browser.
2. Go to the Microsoft Account Closure page.
3. Type your e-mail address and then click the
   
   button.
4. Type your password and then click the
   
   button.
5. If you haven't saved the option previously, you are prompted to verify your identity entering the last four digits of the phone number you used to sign up. Once you've entered that information, click
   
   button.
6. Enter the code and then click the
   
   button.
7. Go through the bullet points to make sure you have properly prepared to close your account, then click the
   
   button.
8. You are prompted to go through a checklist to ensure you know what you are losing by closing the account.
9. Check the boxes and click the
   
   button.
10. Click the
    
    button.

Yahoo! Mail

Note

If you use a Yahoo! account key instead of a password, you must first disable the account key. Review this Yahoo support document for more information.

Note

If you have children with Yahoo accounts, and yours is the Parental account, you must close the Child accounts first, and the Parental account after.

1. Visit the Yahoo! account termination page.
2. Sign in to verify your Yahoo! e-mail account.
3. Read the disclosure, and then click Continue deleting my account at the bottom of the screen.
4. In the window that appears, type your e-mail address and then click the Yes, terminate this account button.

Note

You automatically re-activate your account if you sign into it again in the "hold period" of 40 days. This time is extended to 90 days in Australia and New Zealand and 180 days in Brazil and Taiwan. After this hold period, your account and its associated data is permanently deleted.

Microsoft Outlook

Select your version of Microsoft Outlook below and follow the instructions to remove an e-mail address and account.

Outlook 2016 and later

1. Open Outlook.
2. In the upper-left corner of the screen, click File.
3. Select the Info option in the left navigation pane, if not already selected.
4. Under Account Information, click the Account Settings option, and then select Account Settings in the drop-down menu.

1. In the Account Settings window, select the e-mail address you want to remove.
2. Click the Remove button above the list of e-mail accounts.

Outlook 2007, 2010, and 2013

1. Open Outlook.
2. In the upper-left corner of the screen, click File.
3. In the drop-down menu that appears, click Info, then Account Settings, then Account Settings.

Note

Outlook 2007 users select Tools, and then Account settings.

1. In the window that appears, click the E-mail tab and select the address you want to remove.
2. Click the Remove button located above the accounts box.

Mozilla Thunderbird

1. Open Thunderbird.
2. Near the top-right of the program window, click the Thunderbird menu (  ) icon.
3. In the menu, click Options then Account Settings.
4. On the left side of the screen, select the e-mail address you want to remove.
5. Click the Account Actions button.
6. In the drop-down menu that appears, select Remove Account.
7. When prompted Are you sure you want to remove the account (account name) ?, click OK.
8. Click OK.