Starting Friday, Dec. 1, Google will begin deleting inactive Google accounts, including account contents such as photos, Gmail messages, Calendar appointments, Drive documents, Contacts records and YouTube videos.
An inactive Google account could include a Gmail address you used to subscribe to a newsletter, join an online forum or sign up for a shopping site — all in an effort to remain anonymous or avoid spammy messages in your main account.
If you’ve got old Google accounts you’d like to keep, here’s how to stop Google from deleting them. For more, check out how to log in to Google with a passkey, and discover 10 Gmail tips and tools to use daily.
Why is Google deleting inactive accounts?
If an account hasn’t been used for a while, Google said it’s more likely to be hacked: “This is because forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, haven’t had two factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user.”
To reduce this risk, Google may delete an account and its contents if it hasn’t been used or signed into for at least two years. If you haven’t logged into an account since 2021, Google may get rid of it.
If you’re worried about someone grabbing your deleted account, rest easy: If Google deletes an inactive account, that Gmail address cannot be used again to create a new account, Google said.
