Google will start deleting inactive accounts from the end of 2023


Google has started sending emails to users notifying them of an important policy change. As of December 1, 2023, accounts that have been inactive for two years can be automatically deleted by the company.

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Google announced it in May 2023: the Mountain View firm soon plans to clean up inactive Google accounts. If one can think at first glance that this is a measure to make room on its server parks, it is not so.

In reality, This is a security issue for Google. Indeed, an account that has been inactive for a long period of time is more likely to be compromised and recovered for impersonate you or leave phishing campaigns.

Google changes its policy on inactive accounts

However, Google has decided to move up a gear and has just started sending emails to users to inform them of this change in policy. Thus, the company indicates that it has changed the inactivity period of a Google accountnow fixed at two years. This change takes effect from this Tuesday, August 1, 2023 and will therefore affect all Google accounts that have been inactive for two years.

But what we remember above all is that an inactive account and all of its content (exchanges of emails, files saved on the Drive, etc.) may be deleted from December 1, 2023. Nevertheless, Google wants to leave some leeway to users and specifies that no account deletion will be made before this date.

With a view to prevention, the users concerned will receive several reminder emails over the next eight months to their primary or recovery email address to back up the content of their account or delete it early.

Also to read : How to delete your Google or Gmail account

How to keep your account active

If you are in this case and still want to preserve your Google account, there are several solutions:

  • log in at least once every two years to your Google account
  • read or email
  • use Google Drive
  • watch a Youtube video while connected
  • share a photo
  • download an application via the Google Play Store
  • use the Google search engine
  • use Sign in with Google to access a third-party service or application

Note, however, that some accounts can be considered active, even if they have not been used for two years. Of course, under certain conditions: your Google account has been used to purchase a product, contains a gift card with a monetary balance, owns a published application or game, etc.



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