Inactive Gmail – Google Will Delete Your Gmail Account If You Haven’t Logged In For a Long Time
Read this to obtain valuable information on preventing the deletion of your Gmail account.
However, according to a recent blog post by product manager Ruth Kricheli, it is now possible for these accounts to be completely deleted.
It is recommended that you remember your login password before the end of this year, specifically in December.
Concerns were raised about the possibility of deleting accounts that have uploaded YouTube videos, including channels created by individuals who have passed away or abandoned their accounts.
However, YouTube creator liaison Rene Ritchie clarified on Twitter that the policy does not include deleting such accounts. Google has also updated its blog post to explicitly state that no current plans exist to delete accounts with YouTube videos.
Google determines account activity by monitoring various actions performed by users. These actions include reading or sending emails, utilizing Google Drive, watching videos on YouTube, downloading apps from the Google Play Store, conducting searches on Google, or using the “Sign in with Google” feature to log into third-party applications or services. These activities help Google assess engagement and usage within user accounts.
Again, those don’t cover common uses of Google accounts, like setting up aliases that forward the email to your primary address, and it’s unclear if accounts like those will be on the chopping block.
Google mentions that maintaining a subscription to something like Google One is one way to maintain activity, but that’s not something you’d usually do for an alternate account.
Once the new policy takes effect, according to Kricheli, Google will initially focus on accounts that were created but have remained dormant. Additionally, the company will send multiple notifications to the account’s registered email address and any linked recovery email in the months following the deletion process.
This approach aims to provide ample warning and opportunities for users to take action before their accounts are deleted.
