The quickest way to sign out of Mail on Mac
To sign out of Mail on your Mac, open the Mail app, click Mail in the menu bar at the top left, then select Sign Out. A window will appear asking which email account you want to sign out of — choose the one you're leaving, and click Sign Out again. You'll be returned to the login screen.
If you have multiple email accounts set up in Mail, signing out of one account does not sign you out of the others. Each account logs out independently. If you want to sign out completely and remove all accounts from your Mac, you'll need to repeat this process for each one.
The Mail app will remember your account settings even after you sign out, so signing back in later will be faster — you may only need to re-enter your password. If you want to remove an account entirely so it no longer appears when you open Mail, that requires a different step, which we cover below.
Key Takeaways
- Click Mail in the menu bar, then Sign Out, to leave a single email account without closing the app.
- Signing out of one account does not sign you out of others — you must sign out of each account separately.
- To remove an account completely from your Mac so it no longer syncs or appears in Mail, delete it from System Settings rather than just signing out.
- Signing out is different from deleting an account — signing out keeps your settings saved, while deletion removes everything.
Signing out versus deleting an account
Signing out and deleting an account are two different actions with different results. When you sign out, you disconnect from the account temporarily — Mail stops checking for new messages and you're no longer logged in. Your account settings, folders, and message history stay on your Mac. The next time you open Mail, you can sign back in with your password.
Deleting an account removes it from your Mac entirely. Mail will no longer sync messages from that account, and the account will no longer appear in the Mail app. If you delete an account by mistake, you can add it back, but you'll need to set it up again from scratch. Deleting is the right choice if you no longer use an email account or want to remove it from this particular Mac.
How to delete an email account from Mail
If you want to remove an account completely rather than just sign out, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs), then click Mail in the sidebar. You'll see a list of all email accounts connected to your Mac. Select the account you want to remove and click the minus button (−) at the bottom of the list.
A confirmation window will appear asking if you want to remove the account. Click Delete to confirm. The account will be removed from Mail and from other Apple apps that use email, like Calendar and Contacts. Messages from that account will no longer sync to your Mac, though they will still exist on the email provider's servers.
Why you might want to sign out instead of delete
Sign out when you're temporarily stepping away from an account or using a shared Mac. Signing out stops Mail from checking for new messages and removes your login session, but it keeps your account configured. If you sign back in later, everything is already set up — you just enter your password.
This is useful if you're lending your Mac to someone else for a few hours, or if you want to pause notifications from a particular account without losing your folder structure and settings. It's also a faster way to disconnect if you plan to log back in soon.
Removing Mail from your Mac entirely
If you want to stop using the Mail app altogether, you can't delete it — it's built into macOS. However, you can remove all your email accounts from it so it no longer syncs or shows notifications. Go to System Settings, click Mail, and delete each account one by one using the minus button.
Once all accounts are removed, Mail will open to an empty state with no messages or folders. You can still use Mail if you add an account back later. If you prefer to use a different email app, you can download one from the App Store — Mail will remain on your Mac but won't interfere with your other email client.
What happens to your messages after you sign out
When you sign out of Mail, your messages don't disappear. They remain on your email provider's servers — whether that's Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or another service. Mail simply stops downloading new messages and stops showing you the ones already on your Mac.
If you sign back in later, Mail will sync again and show you all your messages. If you deleted the account instead of signing out, messages on your Mac will no longer be visible in Mail, but they're still safe on the provider's servers. You can always access them by logging into your email account through a web browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will signing out of Mail delete my emails?
No. Your emails stay on your email provider's servers. Signing out only disconnects Mail from your account — it stops checking for new messages and removes your login session. Your messages are still there if you sign back in or check your email through a web browser.
Can I sign out of one email account without signing out of others?
Yes. Each account in Mail signs out independently. Click Mail in the menu bar, select Sign Out, choose the specific account, and click Sign Out again. Other accounts will remain logged in and continue to sync.
What's the difference between signing out and closing the Mail app?
Closing the app just shuts down the program — you remain logged in. The next time you open Mail, it will sync immediately. Signing out actually disconnects your account, so Mail won't check for messages until you log back in.
If I delete an account from Mail, can I add it back?
Yes. You can add the account back anytime by going to System Settings, clicking Mail, and clicking the plus button to add a new account. You'll need to enter your email address and password again, and Mail will re-sync your messages.
Does signing out of Mail on my Mac sign me out on my iPhone or iPad?
No. Mail on each device is separate. Signing out on your Mac does not affect Mail on your other Apple devices. You would need to sign out on each device individually if you want to disconnect from all of them.