Google has decided to update the rules governing inactive accounts. The company announced that it will begin deleting accounts that have been inactive for at least two years.

Users with accounts that have been inactive for two years will receive an email notifying them of future deactivation. If the user does not log into the account within 60 days after receiving such letter, the account will be deactivated. After deactivation, you will have another 60 days to log in before the company permanently deletes the account. The Company will send warning emails to both the Account that may be deleted and any email addresses added by the User to restore access.

Long-term inactivity letters will begin to be sent out later this year. Google says early account deletion will begin in December 2023.

Deactivation and deletion will apply to all account content, including Gmail, Drive, Docs, YouTube, Google Photos, Meet, and Calendar. Only personal accounts can be deleted. Work or school email will not be affected by these changes.

Google has a tool that allows you to avoid account deletion. Inactive Account Manager can alert you to inactive accounts, allowing the user to decide what happens to their data. For example, you can select trusted contacts to prevent or even download account data if it’s at risk of being deactivated. The Google Takeout service is also available to users, which allows you to export account data.

Source: Engadget