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Google’s inactive-account policy is already in effect: December 1, 2023 was the earliest date Google said it could begin deleting accounts under the policy. Google reserves the right to delete a personal Google Account and its data after at least two years of inactivity, but it does not say that every account is automatically deleted on its two-year anniversary. If you want to keep an account, use it; if you want to preserve its contents, export them with Google Takeout.
Which Google accounts and data are covered?
The policy applies to personal Google Accounts. Google says accounts set up through a work, school, or other organization are outside this policy. Google describes an inactive account as one not used within a two-year period. Its policy says it reserves the right to delete a qualifying account and its data; it does not promise that deletion will happen immediately when the two years are up.
There are two related but separate risks:
- Account inactivity: Google may delete a personal account and its data after at least two years without activity across Google.
- Inactivity in an individual product: A Google product may separately delete data in that product after two years of inactivity there, subject to that product’s own policy. An account being active does not necessarily settle every product-specific data-retention question.
Google lists exceptions to the account-deletion policy for qualifying purchases or subscriptions, gift-card balances, active app or game transactions or subscriptions, an active minor account managed through Family Link, and purchases of digital items such as books or movies. These are Google’s stated exceptions; they should not be read as a general guarantee that every account with any purchase or balance is exempt.
Google says it will send notices to the account and any recovery email before taking action. Make sure you can access the account and recovery email, and do not rely on a warning as a substitute for keeping an account active or saving data you need.
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What counts as activity, and how do you keep an account active?
Google’s examples of activity include reading or sending Gmail, using Google Drive, watching a YouTube video, sharing a photo, downloading an app, using Google Search, and signing in to a third-party service with Google. Activity can take place on any device where the account is signed in. Google tracks activity by account, not simply by device, so using one account on a shared device does not mean every account on it has been used.
- Sign in to the personal Google Account you want to keep.
- Use a Google service while signed in, such as Gmail, Drive, YouTube, Photos, Search, or Google Play.
- If you have multiple personal Google Accounts, use each one separately within the two-year period. Google recommends signing in if you are unsure whether an account has been active.
Google describes activity as a signal-based determination that can include last sign-ins, My Activity, Gmail use, and Android check-ins. Do not assume that activity on another account or merely having a device powered on will count for the account you want to preserve.
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How can you download your Google data with Takeout?
Google Takeout lets you choose data from Google services you use—including email, documents, calendars, photos, YouTube videos, and account activity—and export an archive. You can choose products and, for some products, particular data subsets. Follow Google’s current instructions at How to download your Google data.
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- Select the Google products and data you want in the export. Review the selections before proceeding.
- Choose the archive format, maximum archive size, and delivery method. Google lists delivery by email download link, Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, or Box.
- Create the export, then download or transfer the archive and check that it contains the data you intended to keep.
- If you plan to delete the Google Account, move any archive stored in that account’s Drive somewhere else first. Deleting the account removes access to Gmail and affects associated Google products differently.
Exports may take from a few minutes to a few days; Google says most people receive a link the same day. An archive may not include changes made between the time you requested it and the time it was created, and it excludes data that is still being deleted. The download link expires in about seven days and allows up to five downloads. Downloading an archive does not delete the original data from Google’s servers.
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You can save a downloaded archive on your computer if you have enough free space, or use an external drive as an optional local copy. Google does not require a particular storage device. Cloud delivery can be convenient, but once the archive reaches a non-Google provider, that provider’s terms govern the stored copy. Choose a destination with enough capacity and access controls appropriate for the sensitivity of your data.
Google also offers scheduled exports in eligible circumstances. Its help page says these create archives every two months for one year. A scheduled export is not a permanent, continuously updated backup, so check that the resulting archives are available and stored where you need them.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
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Can Inactive Account Manager protect or share your data?
Inactive Account Manager lets you choose what should happen after a period of inactivity: Google can notify selected people, or share selected account data with them. You can designate up to 10 people and choose all or selected data types, although some information cannot be shared. Set it up through Google’s About Inactive Account Manager instructions.
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This is a contingency plan, not a substitute for an export you control. Deleting an account affects associated Google products differently, removes access to Gmail, and means the Gmail username cannot be reused. If you need lasting access to important files, messages, or photos, make and verify a separate Takeout archive rather than assuming a designated person will be able to recover everything.
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Where to check Google’s current policy
Google’s Inactive Google Account Policy states: “An inactive Google Account is an account that has not been used within a 2-year period.” Its policy page identifies December 1, 2023 as the earliest an account could be deleted under the policy. Check Google’s current help pages for the latest terms and steps before making decisions about an account or archive.
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