What "default Gmail account" means and why you might want to change it

Your default Gmail account is the one that opens automatically when you visit Gmail.com or click a Gmail link. It is also the account that Gmail uses to send emails on your behalf unless you tell it otherwise. If you have more than one Gmail account — say, one for work and one personal — changing the default saves you from having to switch accounts every time you check email.

The process differs slightly depending on whether you are on a computer or phone, and whether you are signed into multiple accounts at once. The steps below cover the most common situation: you have two or more Gmail accounts and want a different one to be the default.

Key Takeaways

  • On a computer, your default account is whichever one appears first in the account switcher menu in the top right corner of Gmail.
  • To change the default on a computer, sign out of all accounts, then sign back in to your preferred account first, before adding the others.
  • On Android phones, go to Settings > Accounts and set your preferred Gmail account as the default in the Gmail app settings.
  • On iPhones, Gmail does not have a built-in default account setting — you must manually switch accounts each time, or use the Mail app instead.
  • If you use Gmail through Outlook or another email client, the default account is set within that program, not in Gmail itself.

Changing the default account on a computer

On a desktop or laptop, the default account is the first one listed when you click the circular profile icon in the top right corner of Gmail. To make a different account the default, you need to sign out completely and sign back in in the order you want.

First, click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Sign out of all accounts. This removes all your accounts from that browser. Then, sign back in to the account you want as your default first. After you have signed into that account and can see your inbox, click the profile icon again and select Add another account. Sign into your second account. Repeat for any additional accounts. The account you signed in to first will now be your default.

If you only want to change which account appears first without signing out, you cannot do this directly in Gmail. The order is determined by the order you signed in, so signing out and back in is the only way to rearrange it.

Changing the default account on Android phones

On Android, the Gmail app has a separate default account setting. Open the Gmail app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left. Scroll down and tap Settings. Select the account you want to make default, then tap Default account and toggle it on.

If you do not see a "Default account" option, your version of the Gmail app may not have this feature. In that case, the account you signed in to first is treated as the default. To change it, remove all accounts from the app and sign back in to your preferred account first.

Changing the default account on iPhones

The Gmail app on iPhone does not have a built-in default account setting. If you have multiple accounts signed in, you must manually switch between them each time you want to check a different inbox. Tap the profile icon in the top left corner of the Gmail app and select the account you want to use.

If you want a true default account on iPhone, your best option is to use Apple's built-in Mail app instead. Add your Gmail accounts to Mail through Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account, and set one as the default by going to Settings > Mail > Default Account. The Mail app will then open to that account automatically.

Changing the default when you use Gmail through Outlook or another email client

If you have set up Gmail in Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or another email program, the default account is controlled by that program, not by Gmail itself. In Outlook on Windows, right-click the account name in the folder list on the left and select Set as Default Account. In Outlook on Mac, go to Tools > Accounts and drag your preferred account to the top of the list.

In Apple Mail, go to Mail > Preferences > Accounts, select the account you want as default, and check the box next to Make this my default account. In Thunderbird, click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right, select Account Settings, choose the account you want, and look for a default account option in that account's settings.

What happens when you change your default account

Changing your default account affects where new emails appear and which account Gmail uses to send messages you compose. It does not delete or move any emails from your other accounts — they remain exactly where they are. You can still access all your accounts; you are only changing which one opens first or is used by default when you send.

If you have set up email forwarding or filters in any of your accounts, those continue to work the same way. Changing the default account does not affect forwarding, labels, or any other account-specific settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my default account affect my contacts or calendar?

No. Your contacts and calendar are stored separately in each Google account. Changing which account is default does not move or delete anything. You can still access all your contacts and calendars from all your accounts.

Can I set a default account for sending emails only?

Not directly in Gmail. However, when you compose an email, Gmail shows a dropdown menu with all your accounts — you can select which account to send from before you hit send. If you always want to send from a specific account, making it your default account is the closest option.

What if I only have one Gmail account?

If you only have one account, there is no default to change — that account is already your default. You would only need to follow these steps if you add a second account later and want to change which one opens first.

Does changing my default account on my phone change it on my computer?

No. Your phone and computer have separate settings. If you want the same account to be default on both, you need to change the settings on each device separately.

What if I forgot which account is currently my default?

On a computer, click your profile icon in the top right corner of Gmail. The account listed first in that menu is your default. On Android, open Settings in the Gmail app and look for which account has the default toggle turned on. On iPhone, there is no default setting in the Gmail app itself.