If you have a Gmail account that that hasn't been used in a while, you might want to recover those login details.
Google says it will erase unused personal accounts that haven't logged into for two years or longer.
Here's whether your Google account could be affected and what that means for your emails, photos and documents.
What's happening to my unused account?
If it hasn't been used or signed into for at least two years, Google may delete the account and its contents.
This applies to all content within Google Workspace, as well as YouTube and Google Photos.
That includes:
- Gmail
- Docs
- Drive
- Meet
- Calendar
But this policy only applies to personal Google Accounts.
"It will not affect accounts for organisations like schools or businesses," Google's vice president of product management Ruth Kricheli wrote in a blog post earlier this week.
When is this happening?
The earliest Google will begin deleting accounts is December.
Ms Kricheli said this will happen "slowly and carefully, with plenty of notice".
"We will take a phased approach, starting with accounts that were created and never used again."
Will I know if my account is being deleted?
Yes.
Before deleting an account, Google says it will send multiple notifications over the months leading up to deletion.
These emails will be sent "to both the account email address and the recovery email (if one has been provided)."
Why is Google doing this?
For security reasons.
Google says abandoned accounts are at least 10 times less likely than active accounts to have two-step-verification set up — and are often vulnerable to wrongdoers.
"If an account hasn't been used for an extended period of time, it is more likely to be compromised," Ms Kricheli said.
"This is because forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, haven't had two factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user.
"Once an account is compromised, it can be used for anything from identity theft to a vector for unwanted or even malicious content, like spam."
How can I keep my account active?
You'll need to sign-in to your Google Account once every two years.
Google says this is "the simplest way" to keep your account active and ensure your photos and content are not deleted.
However, what counts as keeping your account "active"?
Activity might include these types of actions you take when you sign in or while you’re signed in to your Google Account:
- Reading or sending an email
- Using Google Drive
- Watching a YouTube video
- Downloading an app from the Google Play Store
- Using Google Search
- Using Sign in with Google to sign in to a third-party app or service.
Want to keep your emails and photos for years to come? Have a backup plan
If you're worried about the fate of your old documents, photos and other records, Google says it's time to start the housekeeping process.
It encourages users to provide a recovery email at sign-up.
Ms Kricheli says it's important to make sure this recovery email in your account settings is up-to-date.
