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Caution: Google will soon delete unused accounts

3.8.2023

Translation: machine translated

Google wants a major clean-up. Inactive accounts will be deleted. This could affect more accounts than you think.

Google recently announced in its own blog that the guidelines for inactive accounts will soon change. Ruth Kricheli, product manager at Google, clarified this cryptic headline in the article. From 1 December 2023, Google will continuously delete accounts that have not been used for some time.

Longer in this context means: two years. After that, you will no longer be able to access this account because it will be deleted. For security reasons, you won't be able to restore it either. Google wants to prevent unauthorised persons from gaining access to someone else's Gmail account and then being able to read any emails that may still be sent to this address.

Maybe more accounts affected than expected

"Two years sounds like a long time. Who needs an account that has been left lying around for two years?" It's not quite that simple. Firstly, there is uncertainty as to when this two-year period will actually begin. The first announcement was made on 16 May 2023, so it is not clear whether Google will delete accounts that have been inactive since 16 May from 1 December 2023 or only from 1 December 2021. However, it must be credited to Google that they regularly send "advance warning emails" to corresponding accounts.

Exceptions to the rule exist for YouTube Creator
Source: Shutterstock

The second problem is: According to Google, all accounts are considered inactive if no one has logged into them within two years. For example, even if you have a Google account whose address you use elsewhere as a username or password reset address, this is not automatically considered active. Google makes exceptions for accounts whose owners have an active Google One subscription, offer an app in the Play Store or regularly upload videos to YouTube.

Why is Google doing this?

Google does this for security reasons, as they say themselves. Accounts that have existed for a long time but are not used are insecure. There is a possibility that they have been compromised. For example, if the password has not been changed for a long time. In addition, two-factor authentication is often not activated on older accounts. This makes them ten times more vulnerable to cyberattacks. This is according to an internal Google security study. These accounts can be misused for phishing or identity theft.

What can you do to prevent this?

But how do you prevent your Google account from being deleted? Simple: use the account. Log in occasionally. In theory, it's enough to log in once every two years. Google has also published a list of conditions that mark the account as "active":

Read or send an email
Use Google Drive
Watch a YouTube video
Share a photo
Download an app
Use Google Search
Use "Sign in via Google" with a third-party provider

Cover image: Shutterstock

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Florian Bodoky

Editor

Florian.Bodoky@digitecgalaxus.ch

I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.

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