As of December 1st, 2023, Google will start deleting inactive accounts that have not been used for at least two years. The company claims that this is being done for privacy reasons and to free up server space. In May 2023, Google stated that inactive accounts are more likely to be compromised, as they often have outdated or reused passwords and lack two-factor authentication. Google will send warnings via email to inactive accounts before deletion and this policy only applies to personal accounts, not business or education accounts. Some accounts will be exempt from deletion if they have YouTube videos uploaded, an active paid subscription, or hold gift cards. To prevent deletion, users must log into the inactive account and use some of the services. Google Photos has a separate policy – if inactive for two years, all content may be deleted. Microsoft has also implemented a similar policy since 2019, and it is recommended to backup Google accounts using the Takeout feature.
Is your Google account at risk of being deleted on December 1?
