A Google announced today (16) that it will begin deleting accounts that are inactive for more than two years. This measure only applies to personal Google Accounts and will not affect accounts for organizations, such as schools or companies, or accounts with a Google One subscription. Nonetheless, affects your account on Gmailas well as the other products of the Google Workspace (Docs, Drive, Meet, Agenda), in addition to YouTube e Google Photos.
Google will start deleting inactive accounts
According to Google, this measure of deleting accounts that have been unused for two years or more is aimed at increasing internet security, as abandoned accounts are vulnerable and can be used by malicious people for harmful activities, such as identity theft and propagation of spam messages. Prior to this update, each Google service had a different grace period for reaching the point of being deleted for inactivity.
While this policy is effective starting today, it will not immediately affect users with an inactive account, as the deletion of the accounts will begin only in December 2023. A phased approach will be taken, starting with accounts that were created and never used again. Prior to deleting an account, multiple notifications will be sent over the months prior to deletion, both to the email address associated with the account and to the recovery email, if provided.
How to Keep a Google Account Active
To avoid deletion, you need to log in at least once every 2 years. If someone has recently signed in to your Google Account or any of our services, your account is considered active and will not be deleted. Activity can be any of the following actions taken when signing in or while signed in to your Google Account:
- Read or send an email;
- Use Google Drive;
- Watch a YouTube video;
- Download an app from the Google Play Store;
- Use Google Search;
- Use Sign In with Google to sign in to a third-party application or service.
Google Photos has its own deletion policy and needs to be accessed independently.
Already google accountin the area Data and Privacythe option Your Digital Legacy allows you to define what happens when an account is inactive for a period of up to 18 months, such as in cases of death, for example. Options users can select upon enrollment include:
- Send specific files to trusted contacts of your choice;
- Apply a Gmail autoresponder;
- Completely delete your account.
