Inactive Gmail accounts will be deleted by Google starting December 1

Earlier this year, the company announced the move, but now the deadline is approaching.

Starting December 1, Google intends to remove unused Gmail accounts and photos, according to reports from PCMag and other sources. Google had previously mentioned its plan to delete inactive Gmail accounts earlier this year, and now the deadline is just a few weeks away.

If you don’t use your Google account for two years, it’s considered inactive. Activities like signing in, sending emails, using Google Drive, watching YouTube, sharing photos, downloading apps, and searching while signing in count as active use. This rule applies to personal accounts, not those from work or school.

Starting December 1, if your account is inactive, Google might delete all its content and data. This includes Google Photos, Calendar events, Docs, and emails. Before doing this, Google will send notifications to your account and recovery email (if you have one).

According to Google’s Inactive Google Account Policy, they can delete your data if your account isn’t used for two years. The earliest this can happen is December 1, 2023.

There are a few exceptions to this rule. If your Google account was used to buy something in the Google Play store or if you have a gift card with money left, your account won’t be considered inactive.

Also Read | Gmail is also getting emoji reactions

So, if you have a Gmail account that you haven’t used recently and you want to keep everything linked to it, make sure to log in before December 1. This way, you can avoid the risk of Google deleting your account and its associated data.