Buzz
A user-friendly guide to logging out of Google Drive on the desktop app and website
The Google Drive desktop app enables you to synchronize files from the cloud to your Windows or Mac computer. If you need to log out or switch accounts for any reason, you'll simply need to navigate through some straightforward steps to locate the option. Keep in mind that access to these files will be unavailable until you log in again. This walkthrough will demonstrate how to log out of Google Drive's desktop app or website using your Windows or Mac computer.
Key Points to Remember
- Click the Google Drive icon, then click the cog icon, and select 'Preferences.'
- Click the cog icon, then choose 'Disconnect account' → 'Disconnect.'
- On the Google Drive website, click your profile icon in the top-right corner and choose 'Sign out.'
Procedures
Utilizing the Desktop Application
Open the Google Drive application. This is represented by a multicolored triangle icon. If Google Drive is already running in the background, proceed to the next step.
- Google Drive can be downloaded for both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Locate and click the Google Drive icon. As Google Drive automatically synchronizes your files, you'll find the icon active in your taskbar. Clicking it will open a pop-up menu.
- On Windows, you'll find the icon at the bottom-right corner of your system tray. If it's not visible, click the arrow to expand the tray.
- On Mac, the icon resides at the top-right corner of your menu bar.
Access the settings by clicking the cog icon. This icon is located at the top-right corner of the pop-up menu. Clicking it will reveal a drop-down menu.
Choose Preferences. This is the first option in the menu.
- A new window will pop up.
Click on the gear icon. This icon is situated to the left of your Google account's icon.
Tap on Disconnect account. Located at the top-right corner of the page, it will be highlighted in blue.
- Upon disconnecting your account, any files being streamed from Google Drive will cease to be accessible on your device.
Press Disconnect. This is the blue button. It will log you out of Google Drive.
- To sign in again or to sign in with another account, click Sign in with browser.
- If you wish to uninstall the Google Drive application, you'll need to remove the program using Apps & features (Windows) or the Applications folder (Mac).
Using the Site
Navigate to https://drive.google.com in your web browser. If you're currently logged into your Google account, you'll be directed to your Google Drive home page.
- Employ this method to log out of the Google Drive website.
- Keep in mind that this method will not log you out of the Google Drive desktop application.
Click on your profile image. It can be found at the top-right corner of the window.
- A drop-down menu will appear.
Press Sign out. If you're logged into multiple accounts, you'll encounter Sign out of all accounts.
- You'll be logged out of Google Drive. To access your files again, log in using your email address and password.
