Is it missing from Google? Be aware that you could lose your account, including Gmail

Remember this warning Google made in 2020? Well, if you haven’t logged into your Google account for over 2 years, then you might lose your account. And everything goes, from Gmail to Google Photos.

Google will eliminate accounts with 2 or more years without login

as it was now shared on the blog of the mountain view giant, the warning made in 2020 will be close to happening. The company warned that it would remove content stored in an inactive account (but not the account itself) to preserve storage space. Google is now updating its inactivity policy so that old, unused accounts will be deleted starting later this year.

To reduce this risk [de vulnerabilidades], we’re updating our Google Account inactivity policy to 2 years across all our products. Starting later this year, if a Google Account has not been used or signed in for at least 2 years, we may delete the account and its content, including Google Workspace content (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Meet, Calendar), YouTube, and Google Photos.

According to the same statement, the policy only applies to personal Google Accounts and will not affect the accounts of organizations such as schools or companies. This update aligns company policy with industry standards regarding account retention and disposal, and also limits the length of time the company retains your unused personal information.

Cleaning policy starts today

Google says that while the policy goes into effect today, it will not have an immediate impact on users with an inactive account. That is, this cleaning will only start in December 2023. Furthermore, the service will be carried out with a phased approach. First the accounts that were created and never used again. Then those with content, but “abandoned” beyond 730 days.

Prior to deleting an account, we will send multiple notifications over the months leading up to the deletion to both the account email address and the recovery email (if one has been provided).

The company does not provide numbers, but it will surely be a few million. Possibly some accounts were created to store some content that is static and these should have the user’s attention.

How to keep your account active

The simplest way to keep an active Google Account is sign in at least once every 2 years. According to the search giant, if you have recently signed in to your Google Account or any of the company’s services, the account is considered active and will not be deleted.

Activity can include these types of actions you take when you sign in or while logged in to your Google Account:

• Read or send an email
• Use Google Drive
• Watch a YouTube video
• Download an app from the Google Play Store
• Use Search
• Use Sign in with Google to sign in to a third-party app or service

If you have an existing subscription set up through your Google Account, for example to Google One, a news publication or an app, this account activity is also considered and your account will not be affected.

Why is Google deleting accounts?

In making this change, the company cites security, as dormant accounts – often with “old or reused passwords that may have been compromised” – are more likely to be compromised.

Therefore, if you have accounts that you haven’t used for a long time, log in at least once, so you have two more years.