Google Is Deleting Gmail Accounts—3 Steps Needed To Keep Yours

Stay active or say goodbye: Google is removing dormant Gmail accounts.

Update, September 11, 2024: This article, which first appeared on September 9, now features a helpful guide for managing and switching between several Gmail accounts on one device, as well as more tips on preventing your account from being deleted.

Google leads the market for free email services, boasting around 1.8 billion users of Gmail. Given this enormous user base, it's understandable that news about Gmail accounts being deleted can provoke worry. Let’s clarify the situation: Google is indeed deleting some Gmail accounts, but not every user is in danger—only those accounts that have been inactive for a long time are at risk. To help you feel secure, there are actions you can take to protect your Gmail and your content in Photos and Docs from being deleted. Here’s what you should understand and the steps you can follow.

Google’s Inactive Account Policy Could Delete Gmail Data

In late January, I got an email from Google notifying me that a Google account I hadn’t accessed in eight months was set to be deleted on September 20, which would also remove any Gmail, Photos, and Docs associated with that account. Even though the deadline is fast approaching, I’m not feeling anxious about it. In fact, I’m quite relieved that Google is taking this step, and I’ll explain why shortly.

Google's Policy on Inactive Accounts

I can't say I was completely caught off guard since I had previously come across information about the updates to Google’s inactive account policy early last year. In a blog focused on safety and security, Ruth Kricheli, a vice president of product management at Google, shared details about what changes were coming and the timeline for those changes.

Forbes: New Deadline for Gmail App Password Access—You Have 4 Weeks to Act by Davey Winder

The new policy states that a Google account is considered inactive if it hasn’t been used for two years, provided the user hasn't engaged with any Google services during that time. The policy clearly states that “Google has the right to delete accounts that are deemed inactive,” which means they can remove the account and all its contents, including data stored in Gmail, Docs, Drive, Meet, Calendar, and Google Photos.

Understanding Gmail Account Deletions For Security

Google has dedicated significant resources to enhancing the safety and security of Gmail for its users, focusing on features like anti-spam filters, safeguards against phishing scams, and defense against account takeovers. However, Kricheli noted that “despite these security measures, accounts that have been inactive for a long time are at a greater risk of being compromised.”

One reason why older and inactive accounts are at risk is due to weak passwords and the absence of two-factor authentication. Many people tend to reuse passwords across different accounts, and I can't emphasize enough how problematic this is. If one account gets compromised, it can jeopardize the security of others. Kricheli pointed out that their research indicates that inactive accounts are at least ten times less likely to have two-step verification in place compared to those that are regularly used. This means that accounts that are not being used are significantly more susceptible to security threats than those that are active.

That being said, I can’t shake the feeling that the expense of data storage may have played a small role in the updated policy regarding inactive accounts.

Forbes recently posted a security warning regarding Google Maps—it's time to obscure your home address. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it, written by Davey Winder.

Prevent Gmail Account Deletion In 3 Easy Steps

If you have just one Google account, your Gmail is secure from being deleted, as long as you've accessed it in the past two years. The issue arises for those with multiple accounts, especially ones created solely for storing photos or data that haven't been accessed in a long time, or that have been completely overlooked. Even if an account seems unnecessary now, it might hold information you could want to retrieve later. With that in mind, here’s what Google defines as activity.

That's all there is to it! Engaging in any of these activities at least once a year can help keep your account from being deleted. You can perform these tasks on any device since they relate specifically to your account. If it’s been some time since you last logged into your account, I strongly suggest you conduct a Google Account Security Check-Up. This will help you verify that you have the right security measures in place to safeguard your account.

Google Account Security Review

Google Provides Exceptions To Inactive Account Rule

Google has explicitly stated that if a Google account remains inactive for 24 months, it will be deemed inactive, and all associated content and data may be removed. However, there are certain exceptions to this guideline, in addition to the previously mentioned steps.

You'll receive a heads-up before any inactive account is deleted, giving you ample time to take necessary steps to safeguard it and its contents. Notifications will be sent via email to both the affected account and your recovery email. This highlights the importance of setting up recovery options for all your Google accounts as soon as possible. However, Google did mention that some accounts will be deemed active, even if they haven't been used for the maximum duration, as long as they fulfill one or more of the following criteria:

It's important to note that the inactive account policy is only relevant for personal accounts. This means it won’t affect accounts belonging to institutions like schools or businesses. Google explained, “This change brings our policy in line with common practices in the industry regarding account retention and deletion, and it also reduces the duration for which Google keeps your unused personal data.”

What To Do If You've Forgotten Your Gmail Password?

Let's talk about recovering your Google account. Thankfully, Google has a process in place for this scenario. It all starts with you entering a phone number or recovery email tied to your account. It might seem challenging if you can't recall your account details from a couple of years back, but it’s often more straightforward than it seems. Many users have success using long-standing phone numbers and email addresses about 90% of the time, assuming you've set up those recovery options as mentioned before. Google will then send a verification code to your email or phone, along with information about any accounts linked to them.

What about your password, you might be thinking as you read this. Don’t worry! Once you’ve located the information for that long-lost account, you can attempt to sign in, just be sure to select the option for a forgotten password when prompted. This will initiate a new series of verification codes, allowing you the opportunity to create a new password. For those who have enrolled in the Advanced Protection Program, recovering access will involve additional steps, making the process a bit longer. However, it’s unlikely that an account with this level of protection would be one that has been neglected or forgotten.

Managing Multiple Gmail Accounts On One Device

Several readers have reached out, asking for advice on how to effectively handle multiple Gmail accounts on a single device. While it's simple to consolidate emails from different accounts into one Gmail inbox by creating a filtering rule for forwarding emails, actually switching between accounts—each with its own unique inbox and settings—requires a different approach. I wouldn't say it's particularly difficult, but it does involve a few extra steps to ensure everything is set up properly.

Tap on your profile picture from any Google service to begin handling multiple accounts.

No matter what device you’re using to check your Gmail, the steps for handling multiple Google accounts remain consistent, though the interface may look a bit different. Basically, you just need to follow four main steps.

After adding your account, you can switch between Gmail accounts with just a click.

Simply go through the same steps for each account you want to access on your device. It might take some time if you have many personal accounts to manage, but putting in the effort now will make things much simpler later on. Since switching accounts is so straightforward, you probably won’t run into any issues with inactive account policies in the future.

It's important to remember that all your added accounts are currently logged in, making it easy to switch between them. However, this also means that anyone who can access your device can reach all those accounts as well. So, make sure your device is always well-secured. For extra protection, you can log out of all your accounts at once with just one click. This way, anyone—including you—will need your login details, including two-factor authentication or a passkey to get back in. I suggest doing this, as I tend to be quite cautious about security matters. While it may take a little extra time, using passkeys allows you to access your accounts with just a fingerprint or face recognition. The simplest option, though, is to keep only your main account signed in until you need to switch to one of the others.