In a major update, Google has declared that it will commence the deletion of inactive accounts, erasing not just the accounts themselves but also all associated content. This includes photos, Gmail correspondence, Calendar entries, Drive documents, Contacts records, and even YouTube videos. If you have any dormant Google accounts, these could be at risk, especially if they contain valuable memories or important information.
Whether it’s an old Gmail box you used for subscribing to newsletters or participating in online forums, or an account tied to a shopping site, you may have reasons to keep these accounts intact, either for anonymity or to avoid spam in your primary email. The impending deletion is set to begin on December 1.
Don’t procrastinate, act swiftly to ensure that your inactive Google accounts remain untouched and the precious content within them is preserved. Don’t let your digital history vanish—take control before it’s too late.
How to keep your Google accounts
It’s not difficult to preserve your older Google accounts. You need to sign in at least once every two years, so if you can’t remember if you’ve done that, now’s the time.
Reading or sending an email, using Google Drive, watching a YouTube video, downloading an app on the Google Play Store, using Google search or using Google to sign in to a third-party app or service all count as an activity that will keep your account active. And if you have a subscription set up through your Google account, to Google One, a news publication or to an app, that’s also considered activity.
Furthermore, this account reaping applies just to personal Google accounts, and not business or school accounts.
What if you forget your Google account username or password?
If you know you have an old Google account but can’t remember its details, you may be able to recover it, depending on what you can’t remember. I recovered two old accounts this way.
If you forgot your password, for example, you may be able to recover it using this Google password recovery tool. You’ll need to answer questions to confirm it’s your account.
If you forgot your email address, you may be able to recover it using this Google account recovery tool. You’ll need a phone number or the recovery email address for the account. If you run into trouble, Google has advice on what to do.
