How to keep your Google accounts

It’s not difficult to preserve your older Google accounts. You need to sign in at least once every two years, so if you can’t remember if you’ve done that, now’s the time. 

Reading or sending an email, using Google Drive, watching a YouTube video, downloading an app on the Google Play Store, using Google search or using Google to sign in to a third-party app or service all count as an activity that will keep your account active. And if you have a subscription set up through your Google account, to Google One, a news publication or to an app, that’s also considered activity.

Furthermore, this account reaping applies just to personal Google accounts, and not business or school accounts.

When will Google start deleting accounts?

This week. Starting Dec. 1, Google will start deleting accounts. Google said it will send reminder emails to both the primary and recovery emails at least eight months before it takes action alerting you about the possible deletion.

What if you forget your Google account username or password?

If you know you have an old Google account but can’t remember its details, you may be able to recover it, depending on what you can’t remember. I recovered two old accounts this way.

If you forgot your password, for example, you may be able to recover it using this Google password recovery tool. You’ll need to answer questions to confirm it’s your account.

If you forgot your email address, you may be able to recover it using this Google account recovery tool. You’ll need a phone number or the recovery email address for the account. If you run into trouble, Google has advice on what to do.

Originally published on CNET on November 26, 2023