ANYONE with a Google account should make sure they’re following new rules – or risk deletion.
We reveal how to keep your account safe after Google vowed to delete inactive users this year.
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Google said that towards the end of the year, inactivate accounts will be permanently deleted.
The company warned users that it’s a move to boost security.
“If an account hasn’t been used for an extended period of time, it is more likely to be compromised,” Google explained.
“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.
“Our internal analysis shows abandoned accounts are at least 10x less likely than active accounts to have 2-step-verification set up.
“Meaning, these accounts are often vulnerable, and 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.”
Thankfully it’s very easy to prevent your account from being deleted.
How to stop Google account being deleted
Google is cracking down on inactive accounts, so you’ll need to make sure that your account has some level of activity.
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According to Google, the simplest way is to sign in at least once every two years.
“If you have signed into your Google Account or any of our services recently, your account is considered active and will not be deleted,” Google said.
The tech giant gave examples of some actions that you can take to show that your account is active.
They include:
- Reading or sending an email
- Using Google Drive
- Watching a YouTube video
- Downloading an app on the Google Play Store
- Using Google Search
- Using Sign In with Google to log in to a third-party app or service
You’ll need to do this before the December 2023 deadline to make sure you’re safe.
And then you’ll need to keep up reasonably regular sign-ins to stay safe.
Google also added that if you have an existing subscription set up on your account, this is also considered as activity – and will block any deletion.
A subscription to Google One will count towards this.
You’ll also need to specifically sign in to Google Photos every two years to be considered active.
Google said it will send “multiple notifications” before taking any action.
