How to Delete Only Your Gmail Account (and Keep Your Google Account)
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Independent guide, not affiliated with Google
You can delete just Gmail and keep the rest of your Google Account. Google removes your mailbox and the @gmail.com address, and asks for another email address to use as your new sign-in.
If you want everything gone — Drive, Photos, YouTube and Gmail — follow our Google Account deletion guide instead.
At a glance
- Time required: About 5 minutes
- What is lost: All emails and the @gmail.com address
- What stays: Drive, Photos, YouTube, Play purchases and the Google Account
- Address reuse: A deleted Gmail address can never be used again by anyone
Google Account: delete a service (official site) ↗
Before you delete
- Download your mail with Google Takeout (takeout.google.com).
- Update your email on bank, shopping and social accounts that use your Gmail address.
- Set up forwarding to your new address for a while if you want to catch stragglers.
- Have a non-Gmail address ready that you can verify.
How to delete your Gmail service
- Go to myaccount.google.com and open Data & privacy.
- Scroll to Download or delete your data and choose Delete a Google service. Sign in again if asked.
- Click the trash icon next to Gmail.
- Enter a non-Gmail email address. Google sends a verification email to it.
- Open the verification email and click the link to confirm deleting Gmail.
Menus change often. If a button has moved, use the search box in the app's settings or the official help link above.
After deleting Gmail
You sign in to Google with the new address you provided. Emails sent to your old Gmail address bounce. Your Google Drive files, YouTube channel and Play purchases are not affected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting Gmail delete my entire Google Account?
No. Only the Gmail service and its emails are removed; your Google Account and other services stay.
Can I reuse my Gmail address later?
No. Google never reassigns a deleted Gmail address, not even to you.
Do I need another email address?
Yes. Google requires a non-Gmail address to keep signing in to your account.
Can I get my Gmail back?
Google may let you restore it shortly after deletion via account recovery, but this is not guaranteed.