Google has carefully designed its account system so that it can be at the center of your digital life. But if you need to use multiple Google accounts (say, if you have a personal Gmail and a work Gmail), things get tricky quickly. Fortunately, Google’s login system has been updated with this in mind, so it can take multiple accounts into, well, account.
How to Sign Into a Second Google Account
To begin, simply log in to your primary Google account (which is probably the Gmail address you use for your personal email). The interface was updated in May of 2017, but it’s still pretty straightforward. The sign-in page is accounts.google.com, but going to any customized Google service will allow you to log in the same way.
Once you’re in, click on your account profile photo in the upper right-hand corner of the page. If you haven’t assigned a profile photo, this will be a circular icon with the first letter of your first name. From the menu that appears, click “add account.”
Now you’re back in the same login page, ready to log in with your secondary account. You can use any Gmail address, or if you’re using a custom domain with Google services to manage email and other tools, you can login with your customized email address.
You’re now logged in to both your primary and secondary accounts across all Google services. To switch between them without logging out, simply click your profile image again, then click the account you want to use. There’s no limit to the amount of accounts you can access simultaneously in this way.
How to Access Google Services From a Secondary Account
Without switching back to your primary account, go to a Google-branded website from the URL bar, like calendar.google.com. You’ll notice that Google has opened the interface from your default account, not the one you just added. The account system seems to reset you to the “default” primary mode whenever you go to a new Google site. It’s annoying, but understandable; Google is insisting that you specify your secondary account to avoid errors.
To switch to your secondary account, just click your profile photo again, then select the account with which you want to view that page. The same Google page will open in a new tab, this time with your selected account active.
To save yourself some time, you can open new Google services with a direct link, too. While your secondary account is active on any Google page, click the “Apps” button in the upper right-hand corner (it’s the nine-dot grid).
Then click the service you want to access with your active account, like Gmail or Drive. The service will open in another new tab, with your secondary account already logged in.
How to Log Out of a Secondary Account
If you want to log out, just click your account picture, then “Sign out.” Easy.
