How to remove an Outlook account from iPhone and Android [Complete guide]

Not satisfied with Outlook’s app-based service? Learn how to remove an Outlook account from an iPhone or Android and discover a better alternative.

Outlook, with Apple Mail and Gmail, is among the top three email clients in the world regarding market share. Microsoft’s long-standing email service has retained users with handy features for personal or business use. Still, Outlook has had its fair share of issues, prompting dissatisfied users to delete their accounts.If you want to delete Outlook from your phone, this is the guide for you. We will explain how to remove an Outlook account from iPhone and Android. You will also learn about the consequences of removing the service from your phone and what a convenient alternative can be.

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What to know before you remove an Outlook account on iOS or Android devices

Outlook is a multi-faceted email service with an integrated calendar and contact list. Removing the account from your phone may result in losing relevant calendar entries, notes, and business or personal contacts saved on your phone. Luckily, you can individually sync your calendar and contacts with Outlook to include the data you need on your device.If you use Microsoft 365 or individual Office apps on your phone, you may want to keep the associated Outlook email address on your device. The same logic applies when you use cloud-based services like OneDrive or SharePoint that require a Microsoft account to operate.Removing Outlook from a device is not the same as closing your account permanently. It merely implies you lose access to the app-based service on your phone. Your emails, attachments, and stored data remain intact and can be accessed anytime from Outlook’s webmail.

How to remove an Outlook email account from iPhone

The process of removing an Outlook account from your iPhone depends on how you access the service:

As an email account added to Apple Mail
As one of the email accounts in the standalone Outlook app

Removing an Outlook email account from Apple Mail

Apple Mail is iPhone’s default email client that allows users to:

Create and manage an iCloud Mail account
Configure and add third-party email accounts (such as Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo, Zoho Mail, etc.)

If you set up your Outlook account using Apple Mail, follow these steps to remove it:

Access the Settings app on your iPhone
Scroll down and click on the Mail icon
Select Accounts from the options—you will find a list of all the email accounts added to Apple Mail (Tip: The view at this stage also displays the services associated with the account, such as Contacts, Calendar, or Notes, so it’s good to review which services will be affected if you remove your Outlook account)
Tap on Outlook
Click on the Delete Account button
Select Delete From My iPhone to confirm—and the deed will be done!

Note that these steps reflect the navigation pattern of iOS 15 (supporting iPhone 6S and above). The process may vary based on the model. If you’re using an older operating system, here’s what deleting an Outlook account would look like:

Open the Settings app
Navigate to the integrated menu labeled Mail, Contacts, Calendars
Select Outlook from the listed accounts
Scroll down and tap on Delete Account
Click on Delete From My iPhone to finish

Removing an Outlook email account from the Outlook app

If you’re using the dedicated Outlook app on your iPhone, you must use the specific app to remove the account. Uninstalling the app is one way to get rid of the service, but the option is not viable for users who have added multiple accounts to their Outlook app.Here’s how to remove an account from the Outlook app on an iPhone:

Open the Outlook app
Go to the in-app Settings menu
Navigate to the target email account under the Accounts section
Select Delete Account
Choose between Delete from this device or Delete from all devices—the latter will remove the account from all the apps where you’ve synced the account

Keep in mind that the steps and labels are subject to change according to updates added to the Outlook app.

Trouble deleting Outlook from iOS? Here’s what to do

Some users reported they couldn’t delete their Outlook account on an iPhone despite following instructions. Based on answers from the support team, the issue comes from cache retained by your device. If you’re using the Outlook app, the problem could be related to recent updates or ill-configured settings.Apple had previously confirmed that the stock Mail app had trouble working with the Microsoft Exchange Server. Some experts say resetting the app can fix the account and syncing issues, but it’s best to reach out to support to figure out the underlying problem.

How to remove an Outlook account from Android

Android users looking to remove Outlook can do so by accessing the relevant app or email client hosting the service. If you’re using Outlook’s Android app, follow these steps to remove the account:

Launch the Outlook app
Tap on your profile icon (toward the top-left)
Scroll down to click on the Settings icon
Select the relevant account under Mail Accounts
Hit Delete Account and confirm to delete

Almost every Android device has the option to delete an email account directly from the phone settings. We won’t go into details here as the labeling is non-standardized. For example, some devices would have the option under the Users and Accounts tab, while others would have a separate Manage Accounts section. You have to access the option, navigate to the Outlook account you want to delete, and then click on Remove Account.

Issues with Outlook—and what alternative to consider

Phone users are typically dissatisfied with how Outlook keeps crashing on their devices, making it difficult to run everyday operations smoothly. The issue is not limited to phones—even desktop users face frequent system errors.

While an ideal alternative to Outlook should have a light, bug-free interface, impaired usability is not the only problem with Outlook. The free version of the service offers limited security features and comes with ads that clutter your inbox.Outlook typically protects your emails using TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocols. TLS encrypts (i.e., converts plaintext into ciphertext) data only while it's being transmitted over the internet, leaving it vulnerable to attacks when it rests on servers. Outlook also retains ownership of the decryption keys, which implies the provider (and any hacker that breaks into the servers) has access to your content.If you’re looking for a private and secure alternative to Outlook, explore services that offer end-to-end encryption (E2EE).

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How E2EE protects emails

E2EE is the strongest way to secure emails as it ensures only the intended recipient can access plaintext messages. Here’s what end-to-end encrypted communication entails:

Sender’s device	The message is encrypted with the recipient’s public key
During transmission	The message stays encrypted as no one—not even the service provider—has the key to decrypt it
Recipient’s device	The message is decrypted with the recipient’s private key

E2EE is the gold standard for email security—and even Outlook offers it—but only to paid users. The good news is that some email service providers let you enjoy complete privacy without having to pay for it.Skiff, for example, is a privacy-first email service offering E2EE by default to its free and paid users. The platform also provides a suite of useful features to boost productivity and workflow—sign up to get started.

Skiff—safe and streamlined communication

If Outlook didn’t work out for you, switch to Skiff Mail—an excellent option in terms of security, affordability, and features. Skiff clients have complete ownership of their data thanks to robust E2E encryption, ensuring no third party—including Skiff—can access your messages, attachments, and drive content.Besides end-to-end encryption, Skiff offers effective spam filters and two-factor authentication (2FA) methods. The platform is open source, so developers can review and contribute to its security setup. Read this public whitepaper to learn more about how Skiff protects you.The many benefits of using Skiff include:

Modern, intuitive user interface—You don’t need technical knowledge or additional software to operate Skiff. The platform has a minimalistic and straightforward interface that supports your personal or business tasks without interruptions
Ad-free, private inbox—Skiff users get an ad-free experience. The service provider never collects and trades with your data. Skiff’s signup process is also private, which keeps its servers free from identifiable user information
E2EE productivity suite—Besides the free encrypted email service, Skiff gives you the complete E2EE ecosystem with three additional products:
- Skiff Pages—for creating/editing documents and real-time collaborations
- Skiff Calendar—for scheduling events privately (the calendar auto-syncs with Skiff Mail)
- Skiff Drive—for storing all types of files, documents, and photos on an encrypted cloud
Multi-platform availability—Skiff is easy to sync and use across browsers and Android, iOS, and macOS devices

Skiff—storage and functionalities

Skiff offers storage of up to 1 TB. Users can consume 10 GB for free.Regarding free features, the platform offers multiple useful functionalities in its free tier, namely:

Full-text email search
Unlimited pages and wikis
Four free aliases
Custom signatures
Folders and labels
Schedule/undo send
Multiple work collaborators
Shared calendars
Secure video calls
Crypto integrations
IPFS storage (optional for users who prefer decentralized storage)

While Skiff’s free tier packs all essential functionalities for average users, clients requiring more can try the following paid plans:

Essential	Pro	Business
$3 per month	$8 per month	$12 per month
15 GB	100 GB	1 TB
1 custom domain	2 custom domains	15 custom domains
6 collaborators	6 collaborators	Unlimited collaborators

Switching from Outlook to Skiff—setup and migration support

Migrating from another service to Skiff is easy with the platform’s one-click migration support. If you’re planning to delete your current Outlook account, you can import messages, files, and drive content to Skiff.Set up your Skiff account in three easy steps:

Go to the signup page
Choose your username and password
Enter your inbox or explore the productivity suite

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