How to link multiple Google accounts together (and why)

Key Takeaways

The easiest way to access multiple Google accounts is by signing into them in a browser, allowing you to open all accounts simultaneously in different tabs or windows.
Another method is to switch between accounts within specific Google service apps, such as Gmail or Google Drive, on your mobile device.
You can link different Gmail accounts together by using mail clients or setting up mail forwarding, which allows you to view emails from different accounts in one place. However, this may involve sharing information with third parties.

A lot of us have more than one Google account that we use. For that reason, a common question is how to link multiple Google accounts together. There are several ways to do so, and we’ll highlight the benefits of each. Do note there is no official way to merge Google accounts.

However, we will show you how to access them all in a single place. Various Google apps (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Contacts, Photos, etc.) have different ways you can link them together. An example for Gmail is setting up forwarding, so that email is forwarded automatically from one or more accounts to another. For other Google apps, like Calendar and Drive, we’ll detail how you can share across accounts.

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How to simultaneously sign in to multiple Google accounts

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Option 1: Sign into them all in a supported browser

The simplest method to access multiple Google accounts at once is by signing into them in a browser. Browsers that support cookies, such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari, allow you to open multiple tabs or windows while remaining logged in. This enables you to open all your Google accounts simultaneously in different browser tabs or windows, a technique known as the multiple sign-in method.

Open Google.com in a browser window. If you aren’t signed in already, click on “Sign in” instead. Follow the sign-in process on the following pages, and you’ll be brought back to Google.com.
Click on the signed-in account’s profile picture on the top right, and select the +Add account or +Add another account option.
Follow the sign-in process to enter another Google account’s credentials. After, you will be brought back to the Google Search.
You’re now ready to use multiple Google accounts simultaneously.
Click on the grid icon next to your profile picture, and choose a Google service (for example, Gmail, Drive, Meet, Photos).
To switch to another Google account on the same service, click on your profile picture at the top, and then select the other account.
You can now choose to switch between Google accounts via the profile picture within the same tab.
Alternatively, you can open different browser tabs or windows, visit the Google service you desire, and then switch Google accounts in that tab or window. This allows you to have multiple tabs or windows open, with each corresponding to a different Google account.

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Option 2: Switch within Google services

Another way to switch between Google accounts easily is within the specific Google service you want to use, whether it’s the Google Search app, or Gmail, or Google Drive.

Open the Google app on your phone (e.g., Google Search, Gmail, Google Drive) on your mobile device.
Tap on your signed-in account’s profile picture (usually on the top right), and select +Add account or +Add another account.
Once you’ve completed the sign-in process, you will now be able to access multiple accounts within the same app.
You will also receive notifications for all the accounts on the same mobile device.

We’ve covered linking multiple Google accounts in the same browser or within Google apps.

This method is great because you don’t need extra downloads or installations to access your accounts together. The downside is having to switch between accounts or juggle multiple tabs and windows. On mobile, note that apps like Google Ads and Google Analytics don’t let you sign in to multiple accounts. Here, you could use different Chrome profiles or Incognito mode for different accounts.

With Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, whether you’re on a browser or an app, switching between accounts is a bit different. (Google’s support articles provide the details.) Now, let’s dive into other ways to link specific Google services, moving beyond just the multiple sign-in method.

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How to link different Gmail accounts together

Let’s talk about handling multiple Gmail accounts. It’s usual for people to have different Gmail or Google Workspace accounts for work, personal use, or school. A handy way to manage them is by logging into all your accounts at once in the same browser or Gmail app. Besides just signing into multiple accounts, you can also gather all your emails in one place. This can be done through mail clients or by setting up mail forwarding.

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Option 1: Mail clients

One way to link multiple Gmail accounts together is by adding the accounts to a mail client. These could be free first-party clients like Microsoft’s Mail and Calendar app and the new Outlook for Windows app that’s bundled with Windows. On macOS, you could use Apple Mail or even the new Outlook for Mac by Microsoft. Let’s not forget Apple Mail for iOS. Others include Thunderbird, Mailbird, Canary Mail, or Spark.

Regardless of which mail client you use, visit the “Add account” section, and add all the Gmail accounts you want to access in a single place. The benefit of this method is the ability to view emails from different accounts in a single place, but a potential detraction is that you’re handing over information from mail accounts to third parties, each of which has its own unique vulnerabilities.

In the next section, we detail how you can forward emails from multiple accounts into one primary account.

How to add non-Google accounts to the official Gmail iOS app image 1

Option 2: Mail forwarding

Another way to link multiple Gmail accounts together is to have one or more accounts (let’s call these secondary accounts) forward emails they receive to another account (let’s call this the primary account).

You would only need to monitor the primary account, where mail from several secondary accounts is shown. One problem with this method is that only new emails received (those received after you’ve set up mail forwarding) by the secondary accounts will be seen in the primary account, and not all their emails. The multiple sign-in method or mail client methods described in the previous sections don’t have this drawback.

As Google explains on its Gmail support page, you can choose to forward all of your new messages to another email address, or only forward certain types of messages. The company also says messages from the spam folder will not be forwarded. Setting up mail forwarding is also only possible in desktop browsers, Google notes, and not possible in the Gmail app.

To set up mail forwarding for all emails, follow this process:

Open Gmail in a browser window.
Sign in to the account you want to forward messages from (the secondary account we described earlier).
Click on the Settings (gear) icon, and then click See all settings.
Click on the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab, go to the Forwarding section, and then in the Add a forwarding address, enter the email address you want to forward messages to (the primary account we described earlier).
Then, click Next > Proceed > OK.
Gmail will send a verification message to the primary account. Open another browser tab, log in to the primary Gmail account, and find the verification email, and click the verification link in it.
Go back to the Settings > See all settings page for the secondary Gmail account you want to forward messages from.
Refresh your browser.
Open the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab, then under the Forwarding section, select Forward a copy of incoming mail to.
Here, you can choose what you want to happen with the original email that was received by the secondary account. Google recommends “Keep Gmail’s copy in the Inbox.”
Scroll down, then click on Save Changes.

To set up mail forwarding for specific emails instead of all emails, first create a filter in the secondary account. While creating a filter, you should see an option to choose an email address to forward email. In case you don’t see this option, first set up mail forwarding.

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How to link different Google Drive accounts together

Beyond multi-sign-on in browsers and the Google Drive app, you can easily share any file or folder from your Google Drive account with another.

Open Google Drive in your browser or app.
Findd the file or folder you want to share.
Tap on the three-dot menu of that file, and select Share and then +Share.
In the Share menu, add email address of the person or account you want to share the file or folder with.
- You can alternatively choose to copy the link, and share that instead.
You can also choose permissions for the person or account you’re sharing the file or folder (Editor, Viewer, or Commenter).

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Final advice for linking Google accounts

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Why would you link multiple Google accounts together?

Linking multiple Google accounts together can provide several benefits:

Better workflow: Easily switch between accounts without the need for logging out and in. This improves workflow efficiency by allowing access to all your information in one place, reducing the time spent on account management.
Centralized management: Manage all Google services (like Gmail, Drive, Calendar) from a single point, making it easier to keep track of different projects or roles.
Easier access: Allows for easier sharing of information like documents or calendar events between your accounts.

Remember, linking accounts as we’ve described doesn’t merge the accounts; it just allows for easier switching and management.