Google is deleting Gmail accounts that have been inactive for more than two years, which could lead to the loss of important data in Gmail, Photos, and Google Docs. With over 1.8 billion Gmail users worldwide, this new policy has caused concern among many. Fortunately, only inactive accounts are at risk, and users can take simple actions to ensure their accounts and data remain safe from deletion.
Under Google’s updated inactive account policy, an account is considered inactive if it hasn’t been used across any Google services for two years. Once an account meets this definition, Google can delete it and all its associated data, including Gmail, Google Drive, and Photos. Google’s reasoning for this policy is partly security-related—older, unused accounts are more vulnerable to breaches because they often lack two-factor authentication and use weaker passwords. By removing inactive accounts, Google aims to reduce these risks and keep its platform secure.
3 Steps to Keep Your Gmail Account Safe:
1. Log in and use your Gmail account: The most straightforward way to avoid deletion is to read or send an email. This basic activity ensures that your account remains active.
2. Engage with Google services: Interact with other Google services, like uploading a photo to Google Photos, watching a YouTube video, or using Google Drive. Doing any of these actions at least once every two years will keep your Gmail account safe.
3. Complete a Google Security Check-Up: Review your account’s security settings to ensure it’s protected. Activating two-factor authentication and reviewing login activity will safeguard your Gmail from unauthorized access.
These steps will help you avoid account deletion and secure your data. If you have multiple Gmail accounts, check and use any inactive ones you want to keep. Forgotten accounts may still contain valuable data, and it’s important to take action before Google deletes them.
How to Manage Multiple Gmail Accounts:
Managing multiple Gmail accounts is straightforward and will help ensure your accounts remain active. To do this, click your avatar in any Google service and select “Add Account.” After signing in to the additional accounts, you can switch between them with a single click. This simple process allows you to keep all accounts active, reducing the risk of deletion under the inactive account policy.
For security, it’s wise to sign out of accounts you don’t use often or ensure your device is always locked when not in use. Suppose you want to sign out of all accounts at once. In that case, you can do so with one click, ensuring that access to any account requires your credentials and two-factor authentication.
Google is deleting Gmail accounts, but you can easily protect your accounts and data by following these steps: Stay active, manage multiple accounts efficiently, and ensure that your content remains safe from deletion.