How to Sign Out of Microsoft Outlook: Step-by-Step Guide - Solve Your Tech (2024)

Learning how to sign out of Microsoft Outlook is straightforward. Simply go to the File tab, click on the Account Settings, and select Sign Out. You’ll be prompted to confirm, and once you do, you’ll be logged out of your Outlook account.

After signing out, you will no longer receive new emails in your Outlook application, and you won’t be able to send any emails from the account until you sign back in.

Table of Contents show

Introduction

In the digital age, email is an essential tool for communication, both personally and professionally. Microsoft Outlook is one of the most popular email clients, used by millions of people worldwide. However, there are times when you need to sign out of your Outlook account, whether it’s for security reasons, troubleshooting, or simply because you’re using a shared computer.

Knowing how to sign out of Microsoft Outlook is crucial for maintaining your privacy and keeping your account secure. This guide will walk you through the steps to sign out of Outlook and explain the importance of doing so. It’s a simple process, but one that’s important to know for anyone who uses Outlook on a regular basis.

Related: How to Strikethrough Text in Microsoft Outlook

Step by Step Tutorial on How to Sign Out of Microsoft Outlook

Before diving into the steps, let’s clarify what signing out will accomplish. When you sign out of Outlook, you’re effectively disconnecting your account from the Outlook client. This means that new emails won’t be downloaded, and you won’t be able to send emails from that account until you sign back in.

Step 1: Open the File Tab

Start by opening the File tab in the upper-left corner of Outlook.

This tab is typically where you’ll find account options and other settings in Outlook.

Step 2: Click Account Settings

Once in the File tab, you’ll see a button for Account Settings; click on it.

This will open a dropdown menu with several options related to your Outlook account.

Step 3: Select Sign Out

In the Account Settings dropdown, select Sign Out.

This will prompt a window to confirm that you indeed want to sign out of your account.

Step 4: Confirm the Sign Out

After selecting Sign Out, you’ll be asked to confirm. Click ‘Yes’ to finish the process.

Once you confirm, Outlook will proceed to sign you out of your account.

Pros

BenefitExplanation
Enhanced SecuritySigning out of Outlook helps protect your account from unauthorized access, especially on shared computers.
TroubleshootingIf Outlook isn’t functioning properly, signing out and back in can sometimes resolve the issue.
Privacy ProtectionEnsures that no one else can read your emails or send emails on your behalf when you’re not using the client.

Cons

DrawbackExplanation
InconvenienceSigning out means needing to sign back in, which can be a hassle if you’re frequently checking your email.
Missed NotificationsYou won’t receive new email notifications until you sign back in.
Potential Data LossIf not done properly, there’s a small risk of losing unsaved emails or settings.

Additional Information

When you sign out of Microsoft Outlook, it’s important to know that any local data stored on the computer may still be accessible. This includes any downloaded emails, attachments, and calendar entries. To completely remove this data, you may need to take additional steps, such as clearing your Outlook cache or removing your profile. Additionally, if you’re using a web-based version of Outlook, signing out will close your session in the browser, but it’s always a good idea to also close your browser window for extra security, especially on shared computers. Remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to email security!

Summary – How to Sign Out of Microsoft Outlook

  1. Open the File Tab
  2. Click Account Settings
  3. Select Sign Out
  4. Confirm the Sign Out

Frequently Asked Questions

Will signing out of Outlook delete my emails?

No, signing out of Outlook will not delete your emails. They are stored on the server and will be accessible once you sign back in.

Can I sign out of Outlook remotely?

Yes, if you’re using the web version, you can sign out of Outlook from any browser by accessing your account settings.

What should I do if I can’t sign out of Outlook?

If you’re having trouble signing out, try restarting Outlook or your computer. If the problem persists, you may need to seek further technical support.

Does signing out affect my calendar and contacts?

No, signing out will not affect your calendar or contacts. These are also stored on the server and will sync when you sign back in.

Can I sign out of Outlook on my mobile device?

Yes, you can sign out of Outlook on your mobile device by going to the app settings and selecting the sign-out option.

Conclusion

Knowing how to sign out of Microsoft Outlook is a simple yet essential skill to have. Whether it’s for security reasons, troubleshooting, or maintaining your privacy, the process is straightforward and quick. Always remember to sign out of your account, especially when using a shared or public computer, to keep your information safe.

If you ever find yourself in a bind and need to sign out but can’t remember how, just return to this guide for a quick refresher. Stay vigilant and happy emailing!

How to Sign Out of Microsoft Outlook: Step-by-Step Guide - Solve Your Tech (1)

Matthew Burleigh

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

Related posts:

  • How to Remove Outlook Account from iPhone 13
  • How to Delete Email Account on iPhone
  • How to Set Out of Office in Outlook 2013
  • How to Strikethrough Text in Microsoft Outlook
  • How to Log Out of Mail on iPhone
  • How to Add a Gmail Account in Outlook for Office 365
  • How to Add Another Account in Yahoo Mail
  • How to Send an Outlook High Importance Email in Outlook 2013
  • How to Sign in to Microsoft Outlook: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • iOS 17: How to Sign Out of Mail on iPhone – A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Import Contacts from Hotmail to Outlook 2010
  • How to Set Your iPhone Default Email Account
  • How to Delete an Email Account on an iPhone 6
  • How to Delete a Hotmail Account on an iPhone
  • How to Make All Columns the Same Width in Excel 2013
  • How to Sign Out of iPhone 13 in iOS 15
  • The Complete Guide to Mail on iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to View a Google Calendar File in Excel
  • How to Change Password in Outlook 2013
  • How to Download a Google Sheet as an Excel File
How to Sign Out of Microsoft Outlook: Step-by-Step Guide - Solve Your Tech (2024)

FAQs

How to Sign Out of Microsoft Outlook: Step-by-Step Guide - Solve Your Tech? ›

In Outlook.com, select your account picture at the top of the screen. Select Sign out.

Why won't Outlook let me sign out? ›

In Outlook, it's no longer possible to sign out of your account or be prompted for a password to sign in. Therefore, if you share your computer with others, you might want to prevent them from accessing your email account while they use your computer.

How do I remove my Microsoft account from Outlook? ›

How to remove a connected account
  1. Select Settings > Sync email.
  2. Under Manage your connected accounts, move the cursor over the account you want to remove and then select Delete .
  3. Select Save.
  4. After you remove the account from Outlook.com, you can delete email messages from the connected account.

How do I get my email back to normal on Outlook? ›

To reset the Mail View in Outlook, follow these steps:
  1. Click on the View tab at the top of the Outlook window.
  2. In the “Current View” group, click the Reset View button. This will restore the default Mail View settings.

How do you turn on or off the Out of Office Assistant in Microsoft Outlook? ›

Send automatic replies (out of office) from Outlook
  1. On the View tab, select View settings in new Outlook.
  2. Select Accounts > Automatic Replies.
  3. Select the Turn on automatic replies toggle.
  4. Select Send replies only during a time period, and then enter start and end times.

How do I sign out of Microsoft Outlook? ›

In any Office app, go to File > Account (or Office Account in Outlook) > Sign out. Close all Office apps.

Why is my Microsoft account not signing out? ›

You may be signed in to another Microsoft online service, and it may be preventing you from signing out. If so, sign out of all Microsoft online services: Go to https://login.microsoftonline.com/logout.srf, and then sign out (if you aren't already signed out).

Why can't I remove my account from Outlook? ›

The primary account cannot be removed unless it is the only account in the profile. You must remove all other exchange accounts before removing the primary account. I cannot delete the other exchange account in Outlook.

How do I disable my Outlook account? ›

Replies (2) 
  1. Click on "File" in the top left corner of your Outlook window.
  2. Click on "Account Settings" and then "Account Settings" again.
  3. Select your personal email account from the list and click on "Remove".
  4. Confirm that you want to remove the account by clicking "Yes".
Feb 15, 2024

How do I unlink my Microsoft account from my Microsoft account? ›

To separate your Microsoft account, just do the following:
  1. Open 'Settings' on the computer.
  2. Select 'Accounts'.
  3. Click 'Your info'.
  4. Under 'Email & app accounts', pick 'Sign in with a local account instead'.
  5. Input your current password.
  6. Make a new username and password for the local account.

How do I fix a stuck email in Outlook? ›

Check to see if the stuck email is in your Drafts or Outbox folder. If the message has an attachment that's larger than 25MB, delete the attachment and either attach a smaller file or upload the file to OneDrive and then attach a link to the attachment. You can then try to send the message again.

How do I reset Outlook? ›

Here's a step-by-step guide:
  1. Close Outlook.
  2. Open the Control Panel and select the Mail app.
  3. Choose Show Profiles.
  4. Click Add to create a new profile and give it a name.
  5. Configure your email accounts as needed.
  6. Set the new profile as the default for Outlook.
Apr 8, 2024

How do I resolve an email problem in Outlook? ›

How Do I Fix Outlook Not Receiving Emails?
  1. Check if Outlook is down. ...
  2. Restart Outlook. ...
  3. Check your internet connection. ...
  4. Check other Outlook folders for messages. ...
  5. Look for the email on your other devices. ...
  6. Update your password in Outlook. ...
  7. Unblock their email address. ...
  8. Switch Outlook to work online.
Mar 28, 2024

How do I do out of office on Outlook? ›

Try it!
  1. Select File > Automatic Replies. ...
  2. Select Send automatic replies.
  3. If you don't want the messages to go out right away, select Only send during this time range.
  4. Choose the dates and times you'd like to set your automatic reply for.
  5. Type in a message. ...
  6. Select OK.

How do I remove out of office in Outlook? ›

To turn off automatic replies, sign in to Outlook on the web, choose Settings > Automatic replies and then select Don't send automatic replies.

How do I turn off Outlook in office? ›

Under Mailbox settings > Email apps, click the Manage email apps settings link. In the Manage settings for email apps display pane, do one of the following. To disable MAPI, for the Outlook desktop (MAPI) option, set to Disabled. To disable Outlook on the web, for the Outlook on the web option, set to Disabled.

Why has Outlook locked me out? ›

Your Outlook.com account might be temporarily blocked because we noticed some unusual sign-in activity. We know that having your account blocked is frustrating, but we also want to protect you from fraud or abuse.

How do I force sign out of Office 365? ›

In the red toolbar, at the right end, click your avatar (or initials), then click View account. On the My Account page, in the section with your avatar (or initials) and name at the top, click Sign out everywhere. In the confirmation dialog box, click Ok.

Why is Outlook sign-in not working? ›

Check your login credentials: Make sure that you're entering the correct email address and password when trying to log in. Check for typos and make sure the Caps Lock key isn't turned on. If you're not sure what your login credentials are, try resetting your password by following the instructions provided by Microsoft.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Laurine Ryan

Last Updated:

Views: 6233

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (77 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Laurine Ryan

Birthday: 1994-12-23

Address: Suite 751 871 Lissette Throughway, West Kittie, NH 41603

Phone: +2366831109631

Job: Sales Producer

Hobby: Creative writing, Motor sports, Do it yourself, Skateboarding, Coffee roasting, Calligraphy, Stand-up comedy

Introduction: My name is Laurine Ryan, I am a adorable, fair, graceful, spotless, gorgeous, homely, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.