Google has announced a new policy that will delete inactive accounts after two years. This could lead to the loss of access to key services such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Drive.
Google’s new policy states that if a personal account has not been used or logged into for a period of two years, it will be considered inactive and therefore subject to deletion.
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This includes the loss of emails, photos stored in Google Photos, files in Google Drive, contacts, and any other data linked to the account.
This change could impact millions of users around the world who rely on Google services to manage their files, from emails and documents to personal memories in photos and videos.
However, Google has clarified that not all accounts will be affected. Accounts belonging to organisations, such as schools or businesses, as well as those that have content on YouTube or apps on the Play Store, will not be deleted.
To avoid account deletion, Google recommends the following:
- Sign in to your Google account.
- Read or send emails from the account.
- Upload, edit, or download files from Google Drive.
- Access YouTube and watch videos.
- Perform searches on the Google search engine.
According to the company, it will notify users several months in advance before proceeding with the deletion, giving them enough time to reactivate the account if necessary.
