Why You Need to Sign Into Your Google Accounts at Least Once Every Two Years
Google is one of the most popular free email providers. And while many users are actively using it for their daily needs, a good number of users also created an email address and have forgotten about it. Because inactive accounts take up storage and maintenance costs and are security risks, Google is taking steps to delete them.
But whether you check your Google account daily or haven’t touched it in years, this update will affect you. So, here’s why you must sign in to your Google account every two years.
Google Will Start Deleting Inactive Accounts
On May 16, 2023, ina post on The KeywordGoogle VP for Product Management Ruth Kricheli said that Google is updating its inactive account policies. According to Kricheli:
…forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, haven’t had two factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user.
Because of this, Google will start deleting accounts that haven’t been used or signed in to for at least two years.
Who Is Affected by Google’s Inactive Account Policy Update?
As per Google’s announcement, this new policy will affect all personal Google accounts. However, if you have a school or organization account, it will be unaffected, even if you haven’t used it for the past two years.
Google also said in its announcement that it would prioritize removing accounts that were opened once and never used again. So, if youset up a Google account once, whether for yourself or someone else and never looked at it again, then it’s in danger of getting deleted.
Nevertheless, if you aremanaging multiple Google accounts on your phone, only the inactive ones will be deleted. So, even if Google deletes the throwaway account that you used once, your primary Google account won’t be affected.
Furthermore, Google will not delete any account with an uploaded YouTube video. So, your favorite video from over two years ago made by a now-inactive creator will remain safe.
When Will Google Start Deleting Inactive Accounts?
Google said that it will start deleting accounts in December 2023. That means users have as much as six months to check on their accounts at the time of its announcement. And, as said earlier, Google will start deleting completely unused accounts before targeting previously active accounts.
Google won’t also just delete accounts out of the blue. Instead, it will send several reminders inside the account’s inbox and to any related recovery emails before finally pushing through with its removal.
So, users who still have use for an old, inactive account would have plenty of time and warning to make their Google account active again. If you’re one such user, here’s what you can do to avoid deletion.
How to Avoid Having Your Google Account Deleted
The simplest way to avoid deletion is simply to log into your account. That way, Google will know that you’re still using it. But you should go beyond just logging in and out every two years. Instead, you should do any of the following:
But if you fear there’s a chance you could be physically unable to open your Google account for over two years, you shouldassign an inactive account manager on Google. That way, your account will remain safe from deletion even if you’re away for a while.
It’s Time to Check All Your Google Accounts
It just makes sense to delete inactive accounts. After all, they’re at higher risk of being compromised and used for scams, and they’re taking up space and resources on Google’s servers without benefiting the company.
So, you should start checking if you have any neglected Google accounts. If you remember creating one, you should check it now and then, or else you risk Google deleting it and losing all its associated data.
But if you can’t access your Google account because you can’t remember its username or password, or you don’t have access to its two-factor authentication code anymore, you could try some of the ways to regain access to it.
If you’re locked out of your Google account, there are a few things you could do to regain access to it. Here’s what to do.
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