Having a lot of email accounts may seem like a great idea at first, but over time you might realize that it is just too much to handle. Checking so many accounts can be time-consuming and can understandably become a tedious task, especially if some of them are no longer important to you. Fortunately, deleting unwanted accounts from your iPhone Mail is a straightforward process that doesn’t require too much effort.
In this blog post, we will discuss how to delete an account from iPhone Mail in a few simple steps. Whether you are looking to minimize the number of email accounts that you have or you just don’t need a specific account on your iPhone anymore, we will guide you through the process.
Video Tutorial:
The Challenge of Deleting An Account on iPhone Mail
Many people are hesitant to delete accounts from their iPhone Mail because they fear that it will delete their entire email history or associated contacts. Fortunately, this isn’t the case. Deleting a Mail account from your iPhone only removes the account from the device, but not your email history or contacts.
Things You Should Prepare for
Before deleting any account from your iPhone Mail, make sure to do the following things:
– Backup your email data: Before you delete your account, make sure to back up your email data, especially if it is important to you. You can backup your email data by exporting your mailbox to a .mbox file.
– Remove your account from other devices: If you have the same email account connected to other devices, make sure to remove the account from them as well.
Method 1: Deleting An Account on iPhone Mail (iOS 13.3 and Later)
If you are using iOS 13.3 or later, follow these steps to delete an account from your iPhone Mail:
1. Open the ‘Settings’ app on your iPhone and scroll down to find ‘Passwords & Accounts.’
2. Under ‘Passwords & Accounts,’ select the email account you want to delete.
3. Tap ‘Delete Account’ and confirm the prompt that appears.
4. Enter your password if prompted.
Pros:
– The steps are straightforward and quick to follow.
Cons:
– None.
Method 2: Deleting An Account on iPhone Mail (iOS 12 and Earlier)
If you are using iOS 12 or earlier, follow these steps to delete an account from your iPhone Mail:
1. Open the ‘Settings’ app on your iPhone and scroll down to find ‘Accounts & Passwords.’
2. Under ‘Accounts & Passwords,’ select the email account you want to delete.
3. Tap ‘Delete Account’ and confirm the prompt that appears.
4. Enter your password if prompted.
Pros:
– The steps are simple and can be completed quickly.
Cons:
– This method is specific to iOS 12 and earlier versions, which might not be applicable to some users.
Method 3: Deleting An Account on iPhone Mail (Using Mail App)
If you prefer to delete your account directly from the Mail app, follow these steps:
1. Open the Mail app on your iPhone.
2. Select the email account you want to delete from the list of email accounts.
3. Tap and hold the account until a prompt appears.
4. Tap ‘Delete Account’ and confirm the prompt that appears.
5. Enter your password if prompted.
Pros:
– Deleting an account directly from the Mail app is convenient and quick.
Cons:
– This method might not be as obvious as using the ‘Settings’ app, especially for first-time users.
Method 4: Deleting An Account on iPhone Mail (Using iCloud)
If you use iCloud as your email provider, follow these steps to delete an account from your iPhone Mail:
1. Open the ‘Settings’ app on your iPhone and select ‘iCloud.’
2. Scroll down to find ‘Mail’ and tap it.
3. Toggle off the email account you want to delete.
4. Confirm the prompt that appears.
Pros:
– This method is straightforward and can be completed quickly if you use iCloud as your email provider.
Cons:
– This method only applies to users who have an email account with iCloud.
Why Can’t I Delete An Account on iPhone Mail?
There are a few reasons why you might be unable to delete an account from your iPhone Mail:
1. Email account is primary: If the email account you want to delete is the primary account on your iPhone, you will not be able to delete it. You must first select another email account as your primary account before you can delete the unwanted account.
2. Synced contacts: If you have synced contacts from the email account you want to delete, you will not be able to delete the account until you disable contact syncing first. This can be done in the ‘Settings’ app under ‘Contacts.’
3. Other apps: If you have other apps on your iPhone that use the email account you want to delete, you will not be able to delete the account until you delete the apps or disconnect them from the account.
Fixes:
1. Set another email account as primary: Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Passwords & Accounts’ > ‘Default Account’ and select another email account as your primary account.
2. Disable contact syncing: Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Contacts’ > ‘Accounts’ > ‘Sync’ and toggle off the syncing for the email account you want to delete.
3. Remove apps or disconnect them from the email account: Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Passwords & Accounts’ > the email account you want to delete, and toggle off the apps that are using the account.
Additional Tips
– Remember to disable the syncing of important files from your email accounts before deleting them to prevent data loss.
– Check that your iPhone is connected to a stable internet connection to ensure that the account deletion process runs smoothly.
5 FAQs
Q1. Will deleting my email account from my iPhone Mail delete my email history?
A1. No, deleting an email account from iPhone Mail will not delete your email history.
Q2. Can I delete multiple email accounts at once?
A2. Yes, you can delete multiple email accounts at once by following the same steps for each account.
Q3. Can I recover a deleted email account from my iPhone Mail?
A3. No, once you delete an email account from your iPhone Mail, you cannot recover it. You will have to add the account again if you want to use it.
Q4. Will deleting my email account affect my contacts on my iPhone?
A4. No, deleting an email account will not affect your contacts on your iPhone.
Q5. What do I do if the ‘Delete Account’ option is greyed out?
A5. If the ‘Delete Account’ option is greyed out, it means that the email account is linked to some other services or applications on your iPhone. Try fixing this issue by following the steps outlined in the ‘Why Can’t I Delete An Account on iPhone Mail?’ section.
Conclusion
Deleting an account from iPhone Mail is an easy process that takes only a few steps. Whether you want to delete an account to reduce clutter or because you no longer require it, these methods will help you to remove any unwanted accounts easily and safely. Remember to take backups and disable syncing before deleting any accounts to prevent losing any important data.