Signing out of your Google Account on a Chromebook closes your session so the next person can sign in with their own account, and it’s important on shared or school devices. You can also remove an extra Google account from your profile, or remove a whole user from the sign-in screen. This guide covers all three.
Quick Answer
Click the time in the bottom-right corner to open Quick Settings, then click Sign out. Or press Ctrl + Shift + Q twice.
Sign Out of Your Chromebook
- Save any open work.
- Click the time in the bottom-right corner (the status area).
- Click Sign out at the top of the Quick Settings panel.
Keyboard shortcut: press Ctrl + Shift + Q twice.
Signing out closes all your apps and tabs. Your files in Google Drive are safe; files in the Chromebook’s local Downloads folder stay on the device for your account only.
Remove an Extra Google Account From Your Profile
If you added a second Google account (for example, a school account) to your Chromebook profile:
- Click the time, then the Settings gear.
- Go to Accounts (or People in older versions) > Google accounts.
- Next to the account you want to remove, click More (three dots) > Remove this account.
You can’t remove the main account this way; it’s the account the Chromebook profile belongs to.
Remove a User From the Sign-In Screen
- Sign out so you’re on the sign-in screen.
- Select the profile you want to remove.
- Click the down arrow next to the name, then Remove account, and confirm.
This deletes that user’s local files and settings from the Chromebook (their Google Account and Drive files aren’t affected). On managed school or work Chromebooks, this option may be unavailable.
Sign Out of Google Only in the Browser
Inside Chrome, you can sign out of Google websites, like Gmail, without signing out of the Chromebook: click your profile picture on a Google site and choose Sign out. On a Chromebook, though, the main account stays signed in to the device.
Related: play Roblox on a Chromebook without Google Play.
Related: make Google Classroom dark mode.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will signing out delete my files?
No. Local files stay on the device for your account, and Google Drive files are in the cloud.
How do I let a friend use my Chromebook without my account?
Sign out and choose Browse as Guest on the sign-in screen, if the owner hasn’t disabled it. Guest data is erased when they sign out.
Why can’t I sign out?
Kiosk or managed devices may restrict it. Try restarting (click the time > power icon), or contact your school or IT admin.
Summary
- Click the time > Sign out, or press Ctrl + Shift + Q twice.
- Remove extra accounts in Settings > Accounts > Google accounts.
- Remove a user from the sign-in screen with the down arrow > Remove account.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.