Nov102012

Can I change Google account on an Android device or will apps stay linked to previous account?

Rhonda Dryden asks:

I have purchased Dell Streak 7 as a gift for my Mum and want to download apps before I give it to her. If I use my Google account to download apps from the Playstore, will they remain linked to my Google account if I delete it and change to her Google account when I give the tablet to her?


Browser: 3.2 Honeycomb
System: Android
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11 Answers - Write an Answer

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ha14

November 10, 2012

well if you delete your account the apps will stay on the device but there will be no free updates (this applies to shareware , freeware can be redownloaded) because they are linked to your account.

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Rajaa Chowdhury

November 11, 2012

If in Google Play settings you change the Google Account from yours to hers, the device will successfully get bind to her GMail account. The apps already installed will remain and run successfully in the device. However, as already successfully pointed out, when you will check My Apps in the Google Play Store, it will show blank and therefore the apps installed will not be managed and updated. You would again have to uninstall those apps from the device and reinstall from the Google Play Store using the new ID to show up in My apps and enable to manage and update.

Rajaa Chowdhury

The apps downloaded from the Play Store are not bound to a particular device, the binding is with the Google Account ID. The disadvantage it already highlighted. However, the advantage is, that if you have multiple android devices all bound to the same Google Account ID, the apps are automatically synced across all the devices to maintain uniformity.

November 12, 2012
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Drew Butler

November 11, 2012

Consider making her a new Google account and you can always link multiple gmail accounts to one device. This way you can get all the apps setup and keep from having any update issues later on… Just an idea. The other comments are great solutions and info as well…

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Boni Oloff

November 12, 2012

Yes, of course you can. But some apps still connected i think.

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Easton Wiki

November 12, 2012

Apps are linked to the account they were downloaded from. You can remove your account and they will still work for her, or just ad multiple accounts onto the phone.

surprise123

I was wondering how you can register a new / an additional google account on an android phone. I forgot the password for my google play account and would like to simply create a new account… On my Samsung Ace there seems to be no possibility in the menu for setting to so so. Any tipps? (and no, I didn’t enter a second emailadress or any answers to security questions…)

November 13, 2012
Kannon Y

You will need to add an account. Go to settings -> accounts and sync -> (at the bottom of the screen) add an account.

Of the options that pop-up, you will of course pick Google.

However, I would strong advise against adding a stand-alone account, since you already have an account. Have you tried doing a password recovery?

https://www.google.com/accounts/recovery

November 15, 2012
0 votes
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Rakesh Mishra

November 14, 2012

yes it will remain

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Kannon Y

November 15, 2012

Hello Rhonda,

The process to change user accounts should be very simple. You can find the directions here, but in a nutshell, simply go to settings -> privacy -> factory reset.

This process varies slightly in Honeycomb, but it should be approximately the same. There might be a reset/back option under settings, so be aware of that.

The reset process will remove your accounts. After the reset, your mother should be able to setup her own account.

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steve douglas

November 18, 2012

Yes your apps will remain on your account and she will get her own apps with hers

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Sathya Murthy

November 30, 2012

An Android device is associated with a google account. The moment you decide to change it, you have to reset the phone setting which will remove all the installed applications from the Android device.

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ROHIT PANDEY

December 6, 2012

yes,your apps will be with ur account and she will get different apps……

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rhonda

January 21, 2013

Thank you all for your help

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