How to change default google account without signing out

Q: How do you log out of one but not all Google accounts?

Tap Your Devices, then Manage Devices. Youll see a list of all devices currently signed in to your Gmail account. Select the device you wish to sign out of and tap the three-dot icon next to the device name. Tap Sign Out.

Google marks one account as your default in each browser on your desktop computer—much like Google sets one of your accounts as a default on Android, too. The practice makes it easier for users to sync data like settings, bookmarks, and more across Chrome on different computers, but it also dictates which account is loaded by default when using Google services. If you find that you constantly have to switch to your secondary account after opening a Google website, you may want to change the default.

Table of Contents Show

What is my default Google account?
Default Google account on desktop: Google Chrome vs. other browsers
Change the default Google account on the web
Verifying Your Default Google Account
Tips To Manage Multiple Accounts
How do I change my default account on Chrome without signing out?
How do I switch my default Google account?
Why can't I change my default Google account?
How do you log out of one but not all Google accounts?

What is my default Google account?

The Google ID that you use to sign in for the first time in a browser is set as the default account. The desktop browser will use this Google account on all the company’s web services like Drive, Calendar, Gmail, and so on. It's the one that will appear on the top of the account switcher menu in the top right corner of each Google website. If you don't want to keep switching to your secondary but more commonly used account manually, it’s time to change the default.

On Desktop

Step 1: Open a browser of your choice, then go to Google.com. Click on the profile icon on the top-right corner of the screen.
Step 2: Choose “Sign out of all accounts.” Signing out will pause syncing.
Step 3: Now you can sign in with the account you want to set as the default account. Choose from a list of Google accounts or add one by clicking “Use another account.”

This account is now your default Google account for all Google services like Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Drive and more.

Sign out of all accounts to set the default one.

On Mobile

Changing your default Google account using the mobile app can be confusing, so we suggest using the mobile browser instead.

Step 1: Open your browser and go to gmail.com.

Step 2: Tap on the horizontal ellipses in the upper-left corner.

Click on the hamburger menu.

Step 3: Click on the dropdown menu at the top showing your current default account.

Select your email.

Step 4: Select “Manage accounts on this device.”

Proceed to manage your accounts.

Step 5: Click “Sign out.”

Sign out to proceed.

Step 6: Log in again using the credentials you wish to default.

Verifying Your Default Google Account

After following the above steps, any Google app you open will default to your new primary account.

Another way to know which primary account you’re in is to look at the URL string in the browser navigation bar. If you see authuser=0, then that is your primary account. The value for your secondary account is 1, and so on.

Tips To Manage Multiple Accounts

Use distinct profile pictures for each Google account to easily see which account you’re in at a glance.
For temporary access to an account other than your default account, sign in using the browser’s incognito mode. To quickly open an incognito window in Chrome or Microsoft Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + N and for Firefox, press Ctrl + Shift + P.
Chrome users can use an extension like SessionBox to use different Google sign-ins to log in to websites.

Conclusion

Changing your default google account might seem tricky at first, but the process is pretty simple and similar for all browsers on any device.

Did you find this guide helpful? Do you have any other tips on how to change your default Google account? Let us know in the comments!

Anwita DharHow to Change Your Default Google Account: Ultimate Guide09.19.2022

How do I change my default account on Chrome without signing out?

Click on the profile icon on the top-right corner of the screen. Step 2: Choose “Sign out of all accounts.” Signing out will pause syncing. Step 3: Now you can sign in with the account you want to set as the default account. Choose from a list of Google accounts or add one by clicking “Use another account.”

How do I switch my default Google account?

Choose your default account.

Go to your Gmail inbox..

Click on your profile image at the top right of your inbox..

Sign out of your account. ... .

Back in Gmail.com, click Sign in and choose your preferred default account..

Enter your password..

Click Next..

Now you can add your other accounts to your new default account..

Why can't I change my default Google account?

There are currently no options for directly changing your default account without going through the sign out process. However, there are options for simplifying the process of switching between accounts. For example, the “Google account switcher into same window” extension alters how changing your Gmail account works.

How do you log out of one but not all Google accounts?

Tap Your Devices, then Manage Devices. You'll see a list of all devices currently signed in to your Gmail account. Select the device you wish to sign out of and tap the three-dot icon next to the device name. Tap Sign Out.