Google users are being reminded that forgotten accounts containing valuable data could soon be permanently deleted, as the company continues its major account purge.
Last year, Google announced plans to delete inactive Google and Gmail accounts. This process began earlier this year and targets accounts that have been inactive for two years.
An account is considered inactive if the user hasn’t logged into any Google services—such as Gmail, Google Photos, or Drive—during that time.
Google typically sends multiple warning emails before proceeding with account deletion. A reporter recently revealed that he received such a warning in January, informing him that his Google account would be deleted by September 20 unless action was taken.
As the deadline approaches, other users are being urged to check their accounts to see if they’ve received similar notifications and might have forgotten.
It’s important to remember that Google Accounts are not just for Gmail; they also provide access to services like Google Docs, Drive cloud storage, and YouTube.
Regular Gmail users do not need to worry about this. However, those who have old accounts with precious photos, important emails, or documents may want to log in to ensure their data remains safe.
This move is intended to clear out insecure accounts from Google’s system, as accounts inactive for two years likely haven’t had password updates in a while, making them more vulnerable to being compromised.
Ruth Kricheli, VP of Product Management at Google, emphasized last year that “if an account hasn’t been used for an extended period of time, it is more likely to be compromised.”
To prevent deletion, users are advised to check their recovery email accounts for any warnings. If you wish to avoid losing your account, you can stop the process by simply logging into your Google Account, even if you haven’t received a warning email.
