Quick Gmail Tip: Deleting Your Account

Written by: Peter Jalbert on Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007
Posted to: Gmail
8 comments, add yours!

To me, Gmail is the best thing since indoor plumbing, machine-sliced bread and Cheese Wiz. It’s fast, I like the user interface, I like the added functionalities like Gmail for domains, forwarding, mobile, and the like. I especially like the threaded view! But there might be some instances when you would need to delete or cancel your Gmail account. I know, it’s crazy, but who knows–sometimes you need a fresh start or maybe you’re doing it for security purposes. And here I’ll tell you how to do it.

You first log in to your Google accounts page at www.google.com/accounts. Key in your account username (usually the email address you signed up with, which is usually your Gmail address), and password.

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Then click the Edit link beside My Services

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You will then be presented a list of services you can delete, and even a link to deleting your Google accounts itself.

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When you click the Delete Gmail Service link, you will get a prompt asking you to confirm deletion, and to set a new email address to use as your login name for Google accounts.

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Google wants to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, and unwantingly (or unknowingly) delete your entire Gmail account. So you would have to check the checkbox, input an alternate email address, and key in your current password before proceeding.

Once you click that Remove Gmail button, poof goes your Gmail!

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8 Responses to “Quick Gmail Tip: Deleting Your Account”

  1. Linda S. Nelsonon 23 May 2007 at 9:39 am

    I love Google too-just about everything. But I do not like Google Reader and have transferred everything to another reader. How do I delete just that service on my account? It is not given as an option to delete. Thank you

  2. Roberton 23 May 2007 at 4:10 pm

    @Linda: Just delete all feeds and you will have a fresh start (showing a flash video to help you out).

  3. Vikramon 24 May 2007 at 10:44 am

    Article is good and readable,
    Mail forwarding is a good practice or not in google to yahoo…

  4. Joelon 24 May 2007 at 12:39 pm

    Note: you missed the third instance of your e-mail when blocking things out, the “Yes, I would like to delete … ” checkbox towards the bottom.
    :)

  5. GT Staffon 24 May 2007 at 9:30 pm

    No prob. That just says email@email.com. :) No worries though, I’m pretty sure spammers won’t be able to harvest email addresses via images. Or can they do that already?

  6. The Thinking Blogon 25 May 2007 at 10:19 pm

    I think a friend of mine read this post and deleted the email address because the email I’ve sent got bounced back saying “User doesn’t exist”!!

  7. Ajayon 04 Jul 2008 at 11:42 pm

    good tip but who want to delete his account ?

  8. Lazaruson 10 Jul 2008 at 9:21 am

    I love Google and everything, but I do not like Google Reader and have transferred everything to another reader. How do I delete just that service on my account? It is not given as an option to delete. Thank you