Since it’s easy to create multiple accounts, many people end up with two or three Google Accounts for various reasons. But not everyone ends up actually using all of them. As the number of unused, inactive accounts has grown, Google is now planning to delete some inactive accounts.
Google will begin deleting inactive accounts starting December 1. An “inactive” Google Account is defined as one that hasn’t been used for two years. Google reserves the right to delete the activity and data of accounts that have not been used anywhere on the Google platform for at least two years. This policy applies only to personal Google Accounts and does not apply to Work, School, or Organization accounts.
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Google’s definition of “active” includes signing in, reading or sending emails, using Google Drive, watching YouTube videos, sharing photos, downloading apps, using Google Search, and signing in to use a third-party app or service through a Google account. Account activity is tied to the account itself, not the device. If multiple accounts are used on the same device, users should make sure each individual account has been used within the past two years.
If Google marks an account as inactive and plans to delete it, users will be given a chance to keep the account active before deletion. Google will send an email notification to the account, and if a recovery email has been set, a notification will be sent there as well. According to Google, December 1, 2023, is the earliest date on which inactive Google Accounts may be deleted.