If you have a Google Workspace account for your business email and a personal @gmail.com address, you can use both at the same time without them getting mixed up. This guide shows you how to manage two Google accounts side by side, so your work email, Google Drive and Calendar always open in the right place.
Using two Google accounts at once: your options
There are three ways to use your Google Workspace email and your Gmail account together. Pick the one that suits how you work.
| Option | Best for | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Separate Chrome profiles (recommended) | Keeping work and personal fully apart, with both open at once | Computer |
| Add both accounts in one browser | A quick switch now and then | Computer |
| Add both accounts to the Gmail app | Checking both inboxes on the go | Phone or tablet |
Option 1: Use separate Chrome profiles (recommended)
A Chrome profile is a separate browser window with its own logins, bookmarks and saved passwords. Giving your Workspace account and your Gmail account a profile each is the most reliable way to keep them apart. Google can't mix them up, because each profile only knows about one account.
Step 1: Create a profile for your Google Workspace account
- Open Google Chrome and click your Profile icon in the top right.
- Click Add Chrome profile.
- Sign in with your Google Workspace email address (for example you@yourbusiness.co.nz).
- Name the profile something like "Work" and pick a colour.
Step 2: Create a profile for your Gmail account
Repeat the steps above, this time signing in with your @gmail.com address. Name it "Personal" and pick a different colour.
Step 3: Switch between them
Click your Profile icon and choose the profile you want. Each one opens in its own window, so you can keep both open side by side.
If you already use Chrome with your Gmail account signed in, you only need to create one new profile for your Workspace account.
For more detail, including how to rename or remove a profile, see How do I set up different Google Chrome profiles?
Option 2: Add both accounts in one browser
If you'd rather not set up profiles, you can sign in to both accounts in the same browser and switch between them. This works in any browser, not only Chrome.
Add your second account
- Go to gmail.com and sign in with one of your accounts.
- Click your profile picture or initial in the top right.
- Click Add account.
- Sign in with your other account.
Switch accounts
Click your profile picture in the top right and choose the account you want. It opens in a new tab.
⚠ Google treats one account as your default, usually the first one you signed in to. Google sometimes opens links, like shared Google Docs or calendar invites, in the default account rather than the one you meant. If this keeps happening, Option 1 is the better fit.
Option 3: Add both accounts to the Gmail app on your phone
The Gmail app on iPhone, iPad and Android can hold up to five email accounts.
- Open the Gmail app and tap your profile picture in the top right.
- Tap Add another account, then choose Google.
- Sign in with your Google Workspace email address and follow the prompts.
To switch, tap your profile picture and choose the account. To see every inbox together, tap the Menu icon in the top left and choose All inboxes.
Tips and things to watch out for
- Check the profile picture in the top right before you send an email, share a file or connect Google Analytics. It shows which account you're using.
- Use a different profile picture or colour for each account so you can tell them apart at a glance.
- Your Google Workspace account and your Gmail account are completely separate. Emails, files and contacts don't move between them on their own.
- An incognito window won't keep you signed in. Use a Chrome profile if you want to stay logged in.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Google keep opening my personal Gmail instead of my work email?
When you're signed in to more than one account in the same browser, Google often opens your default account. Setting up a separate Chrome profile for each account stops this.
Can I see my Workspace and Gmail emails in one inbox?
In the Gmail app on your phone, yes. Tap the Menu icon and choose All inboxes. On a computer, each account has its own inbox.
Will adding my Gmail account give my business access to my personal emails?
No. Signing in to both accounts on your device doesn't connect them. Your Google Workspace administrator can't see your personal Gmail.
Can I forward my Gmail to my Workspace account?
Yes, you can set up forwarding in your Gmail settings.
How do I sign out of one account but stay signed in to the other?
If you use separate Chrome profiles, sign out in that profile only. If both accounts are in one browser, Google signs you out of all accounts at once, and you can sign back in to the one you want.