There are quite a lot of reasons to change or delete Google (Gmail) Account on Android phone or tablet. For example if you forget your Account Password, you buy used Android device and the Google Account is belong to previous owner, or you just simply want to change it.
Whatever the reason, this time I will give you a tutorial how to change Gmail account on Android with or without factory (hard) reset.
Method # 1: Factory Reset your Android phone
In this article, I’m still informing how to delete Google account on Android by using factory reset menu just for information for people who don’t know how to do it.
What is Android Factory Reset?
Factory reset or sometimes people call it hard reset is a method to make the Android device software back to standard or like-new condition out of the box. It will erase all data and applications that are installed in the phone or tablet, including the Gmail account which integrated with the device. If you want to do a Factory reset, you should backup all your important data, files and applications.
Here’s how to do factory reset on Android Phone:
- Press the HOME button: you will be taken to the main screen
- Press the MENU button > click on Settings
- Click the Privacy
- Click the Factory data reset
- Wait a while until the process is complete
For the record, factory reset usually can resolve all problems that caused by software error. For example, if there is one of your default application error, unable to start Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, or if your Android phone performance is slow or full of lag and not as good as new.
Method # 2: Delete Gmail account from Android without factory reset through the Account & synchronization menu
If you want to change the additional account (not the main account), then you can perform method #2. Actually, this method can also be used to replace the main Gmail (Google) account, especially for those who already using Gingerbread (Android OS 2.3) upwards. Unfortunately it only works on some types of Android phone or tablets. If you want to try, here’s how to delete Gmail account from Android phone:
- Go to the Settings
- Click the Accounts & Sync
- Click on the Google account you want to delete
- Click the Remove Account
Method #3: Change Google account on android without hard reset through the application settings menu
As far as I know, this method can be applied to Android phone that are still using Android 2.2 Froyo or earlier. However, it also can be used in some types of Gingerbread device. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings
- Click Applications
- Click Manage Applications
- Search and click the “Google Apps” Application
- After you click the Google Apps > Click “Clear Data” > OK
- Restart the phone, after that open the Gmail or Android Market application; you will be prompted to enter a new Google Account.
If you can’t find the “Google Apps”, you must notice when you go to the “Manage Application” menu, try to look at the top of the screen, is there a Downloaded tab, All tab, On the SD card tab, and Running tab. To find the “Google Apps”, you must click “All” tab first.
If Google Apps still can not be found, that mean you can’t use method #3 to change Gmail account on your Android phone.
Note: In case Gmail application show strange behavior or it’s not functioning properly after you click “Clear Data” on “Google Apps”, then you can solve this problem by “Clear Data” the Gmail Application. The method is same, which is through the Settings > Applications > Manage Applications > Find the Gmail Application > Click “Clear Data”.
Method # 4 how to change Google account on Android without hard reset: Delete accounts.db file
If you already tried method #2 and method #3 but unsuccessful, then you can use method #4. However, this only applicable on Android phone or tablet that has root access. If you don’t know what is root Android, you can read this article:
“What Is a Root Android – The Pros and Cons”
If the Android device already rooted, then you can delete Gmail Account without factory reset in the following way:
Install the file manager application that can access the root system (the root explorer), for example “File Expert”.
- Find and open the “data” folder”
- Find and open the “system” folder which is inside the data folder
- Find the “accounts.db” file > delete the file
- Restart your Android phone or tablet
If you use File Expert application, here is more detailed instruction:
- Install the “File Expert” app from the Android Market
- Open the Application
- Press the MENU button > click More > click Settings > File Explorer Settings > tick on “Root Explorer” > it will show superuser pop up notification > click “allow”
- Press the Back button > you will be taken to the folder list
- Usually, when you first enter the File Expert app, you’ll be on the SD Card folder. Take a look at the top left side of the application, if your current position is in SD card, it will be written /mnt/sdcard.
- Press the BACK button so you won’t be in any folder (written “/” on the top left side)
- Find and click the “data” folder
- Once inside the data folder, locate and click the “system” folder (it will be written “/data/system”, look picture below)
- Find the “accounts.db” file > click and hold for several second > click “File Operations” > Click Delete > Click Confirm
I have tried method #4 and it is safe to do. Some Android users who already tried this method never face a problem. But still, do this with your own risk. Best regards, cellphone88.com