Back in May, Google said it would start delete inactive accounts to strengthen security. Now we know Google will start removing old accounts on Friday, December 1, 2023, to save your personal Google account that’s been inactive or not signed into for at least two years, it will be erased along with any stored content within Workspace — Gmail, Drive, Meet, Calendar, and Photos.
The good news is Google said school and business accounts will be exempt from the purge. In addition, if you have a subscription, like Google One, through an otherwise inactive account, your Gmail won’t be deleted. YouTube accounts won’t be deleted either if they have uploaded a video or commented on a video.
“[I]f an account hasn’t been used for an extended period of time, it is more likely to be compromised,” Google said in a statement earlier this year.
Google is trying to help it clear up the number of accounts and files they have stories. This cleanup will also free up usernames that many may want but are currently not being used.
Google said inactive accounts will be removed in phases, beginning with those created and never used again. You’ll also get multiple notifications — sent to both the inactive account and the recover email — before deletion.
If you want to keep your account and not have your Gmail or YouTube account from being deleted — you’ll just need to be “active.” Here’s how, according to Google:
- Sign in at least once every two years
- Read or send an email
- Use Google Drive
- Watch a YouTube video
- Download an app from the Play Store
- Use Google search
- Use Sign in with Google to log into a third-party app or service
It’s also worth making a new password and setting up two-factor authentication while you’re checking out your dormant account. This will help keep your account safe from being hacked.