Google will soon start deleting accounts that have been inactive for 2 years
Google has decided to update the rules governing inactive accounts. The company announced that it will start deleting accounts that have been inactive for at least two years.
Users with accounts that have been inactive for two years will receive an email notifying them of the upcoming deactivation. If the user does not log in to the account within 60 days after receiving this email, the account will be deactivated. After deactivation, there will be another 60 days to log in before the company permanently deletes the account. The company will send warning emails to both the deactivated account and any email addresses added by the user to regain access.
Emails with notifications of prolonged inactivity will be sent later this year. Google says that the earliest account deletion will begin in December 2023.
Deactivation and deletion will apply to all account content, including Gmail, Drive, Docs, YouTube, Google Photos, Meet, and Calendar. Only personal accounts will be subject to deletion. Work or school emails will not be affected by these changes.
Google has a tool that allows you to avoid account deletion. Inactive Account Manager can alert you to inactive accounts, allowing you to decide what happens to your data. For example, you can select trusted contacts to alert or even download account data if it is at risk of deactivation. Users can also use the Google Takeout service to export their account data.
