Google is about to go on a purge for security purposes — save your old account by signing in by December 1. It’s the last call to keep any Gmail accounts you haven’t used recently. Beginning December 1, Google will start deleting accounts that have been inactive for two years, including all associated photos, Drive documents, contacts, emails, and calendar entries. The tech giant first announced this change in their inactivity policy in May. Google confirmed to Computerworld that it’s proceeding with the deletion plan. “We plan to roll this out slowly and in phases, not all at once,” spokesperson Christa Muldoon said. “We’ll be starting with accounts that were created and never used.” Separate Gmail accounts held by the same user under different names are also subject to deletion, Muldoon said. In a blog post, Google said they’re removing accounts that haven’t been used in a while because these accounts can be less secure. The old accounts might have previously used passwords or no extra security steps like two-factor authentication. The first accounts to go will be ones that someone created but never used again. If you don’t want your Google account deleted, log in and use something like Google Drive, Google Photos, Gmail, or Google Play. You can do simple things like send an email, download an app, search on Google, or watch a YouTube video to show you’re still using the account. Your account won’t be deleted if you have a Google One subscription or other active app subscriptions. Google will warn people several times before they delete their accounts. This notice allows you to save your stuff using Google’s Takeout service or other places to save files like Dropbox or Microsoft OneDrive. Google’s Inactive Account Manager allows users to choose what happens to their account and data if it becomes inactive for up to 18 months. When signing up, users can opt to send specific files to chosen trusted contacts, set up an autoresponder in Gmail, or decide to delete their account altogether. If you have an old Google account and can’t recall the details, there’s a way to recover it. Forgot your password? Use Google’s password recovery tool. You’ll have to answer a few questions to confirm you own the account. Can’t remember the email address? Google’s account recovery tool can help. You’ll need the phone number or a recovery email linked to the account. Tips and links to account recovery resources can be found on the Google Account Help web page. Google’s recent changes to its inactivity policy will affect only personal account holders, not users with school or business accounts. Gmail user David Ciccarelli said that Google has provided sufficient notice to users whose accounts are at risk of deletion, giving them an opportunity to reactivate their accounts. “I have two personal accounts, one of which I haven’t used in years and is likely to be deleted, while the other is connected to several services that I use daily,” he said. in an interview. “Honestly, I only need one personal email account, so I am not concerned about the possibility of losing the unused account.” Related content feature 8 AI-powered apps that'll actually save you time Most AI apps are buzzword-chasing hype-mongers. These eight off-the-beaten-path supertools are rare exceptions. By JR Raphael Jul 01, 2024 15 mins Generative AI Productivity Software feature Windows 11 Insider Previews: What’s in the latest build? Get the latest info on new preview builds of Windows 11 as they roll out to Windows Insiders. Now updated for Build 26244 for the Canary Channel and Build 22635.3858 for the Beta Channel, both released on June 28, 2024. By Preston Gralla Jul 01, 2024 272 mins Small and Medium Business Microsoft Windows 11 news analysis EU commissioner slams Apple Intelligence delay Margrethe Vestager, Europe's chief gatekeeper, takes a shot at Apple's decision to delay rolling out the company's AI. By Jonny Evans Jun 28, 2024 7 mins Regulation Apple Generative AI how-to Download our unified communications as a service (UCaaS) enterprise buyer’s guide Does your phone system date back to the last century? If so, you’re missing out on new technologies that can increase productivity and support a more distributed workforce. That’s where unified communications as a service, or UCaaS, comes By Andy Patrizio Jun 28, 2024 1 min Unified Communications Enterprise Buyer’s Guides Cloud Computing Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe