Google is introducing an update to their account inactivity policy, extending the period to two years across all their products and services. Starting today, this change will affect Google Accounts that have not been signed into or used for a two-year duration. Accounts falling under this category and any associated content may be deleted from December 1, 2023.
Here’s what you need to know:
If you’ve been inactive in your Google Account for a consecutive two-year span or haven’t utilized your account to access any Google service for over two years, these changes might apply to you.
However, enforcement of account deletion won’t begin until December 2023, even though the changes take effect immediately.
Before any action is taken or content is deleted, we will send multiple reminder emails to both your primary email and recovery email addresses (if provided). These reminders will be sent out at least eight months before any account-related action.
Once a Google Account is deleted, the associated Gmail address cannot be reused when creating a new Google Account.
Tips to maintain an active account:
The simplest way to ensure your Google Account remains active is to log in at least once every two years. If you’ve logged in within the last two years, your account will be considered active and won’t face deletion.
You can also keep your account active by performing various actions such as reading or sending emails, using Google Drive, watching YouTube videos, sharing photos, downloading apps, utilizing Google Search, or employing “Sign in with Google” for third-party apps or services.