Deleting email accounts on iPads is a straightforward process that allows you to remove accounts you no longer need or want connected to your device. Whether you’ve changed jobs, emails, providers, or simply want an account gone from your iPad, deleting it takes just a few taps.
I’ll walk you through the complete process step-by-step. With over 10 years experience as an IT consultant helping people with their Apple devices, I’ve deleted my fair share of iPad email accounts.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Why Delete an Email Account?
Here are some of the most common reasons for deleting an email account from your iPad:
- You’ve changed jobs – If you had a work email connected that you no longer need access to, deleting it removes that account and data.
- You’ve switched email providers – If you’ve moved from Gmail to Outlook for example, you can delete the old Gmail account.
- An email provider closed – If a provider shuts down, deleting the obsolete account cleans things up.
- Reduce clutter – Deleting old or unused accounts declutters your Mail app.
- Privacy – Removing an account gives that company less visibility into your activity.
No matter the reason, deleting accounts is simple. Just realize that once deleted, all account data is removed from your iPad. This includes emails, settings, attachments – everything.
Before Deleting an Account
Before you delete an account, first consider:
- Do you still need access to the account’s emails? If so, exporting them to another app for storage is wise.
- Are there other synced items you want to keep like calendars or contacts? You can disable sync in settings while keeping the account active.
If you do need to retain emails or other data, handle that before proceeding. Once deleted, recovery is difficult.
How to Delete an Email Account from an iPad
Deleting an account takes just a few taps:
- Open the Settings app
- Select Mail
- Choose Accounts
- Tap the account you want to delete
- Select Delete Account
- Confirm deletion
And that’s it! The account is now removed along with all associated emails and data.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s walk through each step to delete an email account from your iPad:
- Open Settings The Settings app is where email accounts are managed. Tap the gears icon to open it: Open Settings App
- Select Mail In Settings, choose Mail to manage accounts: Choose Mail
- Select Accounts The Accounts screen lists all configured email accounts. Tap here to proceed: Tap Accounts
- Tap the Account to Delete On the Accounts screen, tap the account you wish to remove: Tap Account to Delete
- Select Delete Account On the account screen, tap the red Delete Account button: Tap Delete Account
- Confirm Deletion A popup will confirm your choice to delete the account. Tap again to remove! Confirm Deletion
And the selected email account is now removed from your iPad! All associated emails and data are also deleted.
Recovering a Deleted Account
Once an account is deleted, recovering it is difficult without an iPad backup. However, if you change your mind soon after deletion, here is what you can try:
- Add the account back – As long as the email provider is still active, re-add the account in Settings. Some data may resync from the server.
- Restore an iPad backup – If you have a backup that contains the deleted account, you can restore to bring it back.
So be certain before you delete, as undoing it is not easy.
Final Thoughts on Deleting iPad Email Accounts
Deleting email accounts on iPads is straightforward – just a few taps in Settings. But before deletion, consider if you still need access to that account’s emails or if you should back them up first.
Once deleted, accounts can only be recovered through adding them back or restoring an iPad backup. So be deliberate when removing accounts to avoid losing anything important.
With a bit of care, deleting email accounts is simple. And removing those you no longer need cleans up your Mail app nicely.
I hope this guide gives you the confidence to easily delete any unnecessary email accounts from your iPad. And as always, I’m happy to answer any questions you may have!