How to Add, Turn Off, or Delete an Email Account on iPhone

To delete an email account on iPhone, open Settings, tap Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts, tap the account, and tap Delete Account (or Sign Out). This removes the account from your iPhone only; it does not close it. The same Mail Accounts screen is where you add new accounts or turn one off temporarily.

These steps follow Apple’s iPhone User Guide pages on adding and removing email accounts and sending email, plus Apple’s support article on adding an email account (iOS 27).

How to Add an Email Account on iPhone

1. Open Settings and tap Apps.
2. Tap Mail, then tap Mail Accounts.
3. Tap Add Account, then enter your email address. Choose your provider from the list if asked.
4. Follow the prompts and enter your password.
5. Tap Next and wait for Mail to verify the account, or tap Save if you see it.

Result: The account appears under Mail Accounts and its inbox shows up in the Mail app. Apple says Mail can set up iCloud, Google, Microsoft Exchange, and Yahoo accounts automatically with just your address and password.

For a @comcast.net address, check whether the mailbox still uses Xfinity or has moved to Yahoo before choosing a provider. Our guide to adding Comcast email to an iPhone or iPad covers both routes, current server settings, and send/receive checks.

If Your Provider Isn’t Listed

1. In Mail Accounts, tap Add Account, enter your email address, and tap Next.
2. Tap Add Other Account, then tap Mail Account.
3. Enter your name, email address, password, and a description, then tap Next.
4. If Mail can’t find the settings, choose IMAP or POP and enter the incoming and outgoing mail server details from your provider.
5. Tap Save.

Result: Mail checks the settings and finishes setup. Apple says to contact your email provider if you don’t know the server details or which account type to choose.

How to Turn Off an Email Account Without Deleting It

1. Open Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts.
2. Tap the account.
3. For an iCloud account, turn off Use on this iPhone. For any other account, turn off Mail.

Result: That account stops sending and receiving mail on your iPhone, but its settings stay in place. Turn the switch back on whenever you want it again.

How to Delete an Email Account on iPhone

1. Open Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts.
2. Tap the account you want to remove.
3. Tap Sign Out or Delete Account, and confirm if asked.

Result: Apple says the account is removed from Mail and from all the apps that use it on your iPhone. The email account itself is not canceled; to close it completely, go to your email provider. Messages downloaded to the phone are deleted, while your mail stays on the server, so you can add the account back any time.

How to Send From a Different Account

1. Start a new email in the Mail app.
2. Tap the Cc/Bcc, From field.
3. Tap From and choose the account.

Result: The message goes out from the account you picked. After choosing it, see how to forward or reply to an email in iPhone Mail, and check the From address before you send.

How to Set a Default Email Account

Replies and forwards use the account that received the original message, but new emails use your default account. To change it, go to Settings > Apps > Mail, tap Default Account under Composing, and choose the account. You can still switch accounts in the From field of any new message.

How to Change How Often Mail Checks an Account

For accounts that don’t support push, Apple says you can set a schedule: go to Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts > Fetch New Data and choose an option under Fetch. The default, Automatically, downloads new mail when your iPhone is charging and connected to Wi-Fi.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t I delete or add an email account?

If the account options are grayed out, a Screen Time restriction is usually the cause. See why email accounts are grayed out on iPhone for the fix.

Can I get the Mail app back if I deleted it?

Yes. Apple says to swipe left on the Home Screen until you see the App Library, enter “Mail” in the search field, then touch and hold the Mail icon and tap Add to Home Screen.

More iPhone Guides

• How to remove “Sent from my iPhone”
• How to block an email sender on iPhone