How to delete inactive Google account from Macs? 🧟‍♂️

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16 points

How to delete inactive Google account from Macs? 🧟‍♂️

This was problem posted last summer by another victim but with no resolution:

https://origin-discussions-us.apple.com/thread/252994290

I've closed my Google account, which was installed only for Mail on 2 Macs. In System Preferences > Internet Accounts, you can remove the inactive Google account, but it returns--only as inactive--in about a minute. (See screenshots).

My iOS devices are free of the account—i.e., I don't think that it is something to do with iCloud/Keychain, that the dialogue mentions. I've deleted it from Keychain too, but no change.

I've repeated the inactive Google account many times, over a couple of day. Both Macs have been rebooted.

Any ideas?

Posted on Jan 7, 2022 9:31 AM

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Answer 1

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Seabeethree Author

Level 1

16 points

Jan 7, 2022 9:59 AM in response to Seabeethree

Thank you!—so turn-off Keychain sync on all machines bar one. Delete the Internet Account on the active machine. Turn off Keychain syncing on that machine. The repeat for all other machines. Got it.

One of my machines is in another city at the moment, but I will try this in a week-or-so and report back.

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Answer 2

Seabeethree Author

Level 1

16 points

Jan 17, 2022 12:41 PM in response to Seabeethree

Yes, this worked. In a bit more detail:

I have 3 Macs
Turned off Mac mini (didn't delete Google first).
Sat with iMac and MacBook Pro in front of me.
Turned off MacBookPro.
Deleted Google account from iMac. Waited for 10 minutes to give syncing a chance to work. Google never returned on this machine. √
Turned on MacBook Pro. Google account still there. Deleted. Google never returned on this machine. √
Turned on Mac mini. Google account still there. Deleted. Google never returned on this machine. √

FYI: I also went to the Keychain Access app, then View > Show Invisibles and searched for Google. There's a file called 'com.apple.account.Google.accountsync'. When you delete the account from Mail, this file also disappears, then comes back. I wonder if this mediates the whole annoying problem.

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