Your Google account is responsible for a lot of the features and functions of your Samsung Galaxy. Whether it's a top-of-the-line Galaxy phone or a large-screened Galaxy Tab, your Google account will sync and back up most of your personal data, save your pictures safely to the Cloud – and perhaps most importantly, allow you to download apps from the Play Store

If any of this synchronisation stops working, then removing the Google account and re-adding it is one of the quickest and best troubleshooting steps you can try.

But that's not the only reason you might want to remove your Google account. On newer devices – those running Android 5.0 or later – it also activates something called 'Android Device Protection'.

This is essentially a 'kill switch', created to reduce phone theft. If you factory-reset your Galaxy without removing the Google account, you'll be asked for it once the reset finishes - and if you can't remember it - your phone becomes a doorstop.

You'll have to remove the account from your phone if you want to sell it or trade it in, as the phone will be pretty much unusable with the Android Device Protection lock turned on.

How to remove the Google Account from your Samsung Galaxy

You might need to turn off your phone's security before removing the Google account, so follow these steps first.

1. Start off by going into your Apps.

2. Tap Settings.

3. Once in Settings, tap the Lock screen and security section.

4. Tap on Screen lock type.

5. Type in your Pin, pattern or password.

6. Tap on Swipe at the top.

7. Tap Remove Data.

8. Tap Remove. Once you've taken off your security, you should be able to remove your Google account.

9. Go back to the main Settings screen, and tap Cloud and accounts.

10. Tap on Accounts.

11. Tap your Google account.

12. Tap the three dots in the top-right corner.

13. Tap Remove account.

14. Tap Remove account again to confirm it.

Your Google account will have been removed from your Samsung Galaxy phone.

If you want some more help with your Samsung Galaxy phone, you can chat to one of our helpful experts in store or on ShopLive.