Gmail accounts inactive for at least two years to be deleted starting in December

(Patria) - Google will begin deleting inactive Gmail accounts in December, which could affect millions of users worldwide, reports tportal.hr.

If you don't want your account to be among those that will be permanently deleted, it is important to take certain steps to protect it.

Google has announced that starting in December 2024, it will begin deleting Gmail accounts that have been inactive for at least two years.

The goal of this decision is to improve security and reduce the risk of misuse of inactive accounts that could be targets for hackers.

These accounts often have weaker passwords, do not use multi-factor authentication, and contain old data that could compromise user security.

If you do not want to lose access to your Gmail account, Google recommends the following steps:

Log in regularly

The simplest way to keep your Gmail account active is to log in to it regularly.

It is recommended to log in at least once every few months to show that the account is active.

Use services linked to the account

In addition to logging in, activity on any Google service, such as Google Drive, Google Photos, YouTube, or Google Search, will also keep your account active.

Any interaction with these services confirms to Google that you are using your account.

Update security settings

Ensure that your Gmail account's security settings are up to date.

Add a recovery email address or phone number and enable multi-factor authentication to increase your account's security.

If your account is marked as inactive, you will lose all emails, contacts, photos, and other data associated with the account.

After deletion, data recovery will not be possible, so it is important to take steps to protect your account.

Google's decision to delete inactive accounts emphasizes the importance of regular account usage and maintaining security settings to prevent potential misuse.

If you are unsure when you last used your Gmail account, log in today and ensure it remains active and protected.

If you have forgotten your login details, Google has an account recovery process that can help you.

The process begins by entering the recovery phone number or email address associated with your account.

While it may seem hopeless to try to remember this information if you haven't used it for at least two years, user experiences show that long-term associated email addresses and phone numbers help recover the account in nine out of ten cases.

Of course, this assumes you have previously activated account recovery options.

After entering the information, Google will send you a verification code to the selected email or phone number and display information about all associated accounts.

If you manage to find information about a long-forgotten account, you can try to log in again, but through the 'forgot password' option. This is followed by another round of verification codes that allow you to set a new password for the account.

Users who have activated Google's Advanced Protection Program will have to go through more checks, and the recovery process may take longer, but it is unlikely that such accounts would be inactive and forgotten.

These steps are crucial for keeping your Google account secure and active, even if it's been years since you last used it.

By using password managers and regularly updating security settings, you can ensure your account is accessible whenever you need it.