Why Google is deleting inactive accounts in December

Google will start the process of shutting down accounts that have been inactive for two years next month.

The purge follows Google’s decision in May to update its policy on inactive accounts in an effort to curb cybersecurity concerns.  

Google said the update will be rolled out “slowly and carefully, with plenty of notice.”

Users will receive multiple notifications, including those sent to a backup email if one has been set up, according to the company’s announcement.

Here’s what you need to know about the future of your Google account.

Why is Google shutting down inactive accounts? 

Google Vice President of product management Ruth Kricheli said in a May blog post announcing the update that the goal of the new policy is to prevent accounts from being compromised.  

Accounts that haven’t been used for an “extended period of time” are more likely to be compromised, Kricheli wrote.  

Google’s internal analysis showed that “abandoned accounts” are are at least 10 times less likely than active accounts to have two-step verification set up, Kricheli wrote. The accounts also often use “old or re-used” passwords that may have been compromised, making them more vulnerable.  

How can I reinstate a Gmail account?  

Users can sign in at least once every two years to comply with the new policy and keep their accounts active.

While signed in, users can take a wide range of actions to keep their accounts active. Reading or sending an email, using Google Drive, using Google search or watching a video on Google-owned YouTube is enough to keep an account active.

Google accounts used as the contact email for subscriptions will also remain active, the company said.

How can I save my data?  

Google account users can download and export their data before their accounts go inactive.

Google offers options for users to do so through its Takeout feature. With the Takeout feature, users can select what portions of their data they want to export, including from their Google Calendar, Chrome settings and files in their Google Drive.  

Users can also use the Inactive Account Manager to decide what happens to their account and data if it becomes inactive for a period of up to 18 months, including applying an automatic response or deleting the account.  

Which accounts are exempt? 

In addition to accounts that have been active within the past two years, other accounts are also exempt from being deleted, according to the policy update. 

The update will only apply to personal Google accounts, meaning ones tied to a school or business will not be impacted.

Accounts with YouTube videos will also not be impacted as part of the update, according to Google’s blog post.