Under plans first revealed in May, Google says accounts that haven’t been used in at least two years will be deleted before the end of the coming week.
Have a Google account you haven’t used in a while? If you want to keep it from disappearing, you should sign in before the end of the week.
Google’s new inactive account policy, In May, a major technology company shared that they might delete accounts not used for two years. They plan to remove inactive accounts starting this Friday, doing it gradually. Is this conversation helpful so far?
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If you have an account that’s at risk for deletion, you should receive multiple notices from Google sent to the email affiliated with that account and its recovery address (if one exists).
If you’re not up to speed on the new rules yet and want to make sure all your stuff on Google Drive, Docs, Gmail, and other places is safe, here’s the step you need to know.
Why is Google deleting inactive accounts?
In May’s announcement, Google attributed its inactive account update to security issues.
The company mentioned that accounts left unused for a long time are at a higher risk of being taken over. They pointed out that accounts which are forgotten or not regularly used usually have outdated passwords, may not have an extra layer of security like two-factor authentication, and don’t undergo frequent security checks. Consequently, these accounts might be seized and misused for things like spam, malicious content, and even identity theft.
How to Safe my account from being deleted?
The easiest way to keep your Google account active (and thus prevent it from being deleted) is to sign in at least once every two years.
Doing different things with your Google account counts as staying active. For example, you can send emails, scroll through emails, use Google search, and watch YouTube videos—all while logged in to your Google account.
If you have subscriptions set up through your Google account, like profiles for apps and publications, that also counts as activity.
To keep your stuff safe on Google Photos, make sure to sign in regularly. Google mentioned before that if you don’t use it for two years, your photos might get deleted—so it’s a good idea to open the app every now and then to make sure your pictures stay safe.
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Are there any exceptions to this policy?
This update will only affect individual Google accounts that haven’t been used for two years or more. If you created your account for a school or company, you don’t need to worry – this change won’t impact you.
Per Google’s online policy, other exceptions include Google accounts that manage active minor accounts, accounts containing a gift card balance as well as those that have been used to purchase Google products, apps, or subscriptions that are ongoing.
Furthermore, there are currently no intentions to remove accounts containing YouTube videos, as stated by a representative from Google when contacted by The Associated Press on Monday.
Can I save data from my Google account?
Apart from ensuring your Google account stays active, there are some tools available to assist in organizing and safeguarding your data.
Google Takeout, for example, allows users to download and export account data outside of Google at any time.
And the Inactive Account Manager allows you to decide what will occur with your account and information if it becomes inactive. This includes the ability to send specific files to trusted contacts or permanently delete the account.
Google’s online policy also says the company can work with immediate family to close the account of a deceased loved one and/or provide some account content – without sharing login credentials – on a case-by-case basis.
Google requests users to give and keep their recovery email updated for their account. This is also beneficial for sending notifications about inactive accounts and other communications.
