Google will start deleting millions of abandoned Gmail accounts soon

Gmail
(Image credit: Google)

As we approach the end of 2023, we also inch nearer to Google’s deadline for resurrecting abandoned accounts before it presses the big red delete button.

In May 2023, Ruth Kricheli, VP for Product Management, said that the company would begin closing down unused accounts in December 2023, three weeks from now.

Account deletion will affect all Google accounts, including Gmail, Drive, Docs, Meet, Calendar, and Photos.

Google will delete unused accounts beginning December 2023

Kricheli said that the move is one designed to curb attacks and security threats, including “spam, phishing scams and account hijacking.” Dormant accounts are more susceptible to attacks than ones that are maintained, because the company frequently rolls out security updates such as two-factor authentication (2FA) to improve account protection.

The company’s own research suggests that accounts that haven’t been used in a while are 10x less likely to have 2FA set up.

The mass purge will happen in phases, beginning with accounts that were created but never accessed again.

Google says it will send “multiple notifications over the months leading up to deletion” before it takes the drastic action.

In order to keep accounts open, all Google requires is that you sign in at least once every two years to access its services. This could include: 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 Sign in with Google to sign in to a third-party app or service.

Active subscriptions, such as Google One, news publications, and apps, are also considered to be sufficient activity.

Kricheli added: “we do not have plans to delete accounts with YouTube videos at this time.”

Google Photos users, though, will need to specifically sign in to that app or web portal in order to keep the service from being deleted.

While these measures may seem drastic, the reality is that most users typically sign in more than once every two years, leaving the vast majority of abandoned accounts to be actually abandoned.

With data centers under intense scrutiny over energy and natural resource usage, decluttering its servers is a step in the right direction for Google and the planet.

More from TechRadar Pro

Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

Read more
Microsoft OneDrive website under a magnifying glass. Microsoft OneDrive is a file hosting service.
Still keeping data in unlicensed Microsoft OneDrive? Act now or lose it forever
Shadowed hands on a digital background reaching for a login prompt.
A flaw in Google OAuth system is exposing millions of users via abandoned accounts
Google Pixel 9 Pro
Google Password Manager may be set to introduce a nuclear option for its Android app
A phone sitting on a laptop keyboard with the Microsoft Outlook logo on the screen.
Microsoft is changing the way logins work: here’s what that means for you
Google logo at Made by Google
Not even Google is safe from job cuts - cloud, HR roles set to go
Google Maps
Nightmare Google Maps glitch is deleting timelines, and there isn't a fix yet
Latest in Pro
Isometric demonstrating multi-factor authentication using a mobile device.
NCSC gets influencers to sing the praises of 2FA
Sam Altman and OpenAI
OpenAI is upping its bug bounty rewards as security worries rise
Context Windows
Why are AI context windows important?
BERT
What is BERT, and why should we care?
A person holding out their hand with a digital AI symbol.
AI is booming — but are businesses seeing real impact?
A stylized depiction of a padlocked WiFi symbol sitting in the centre of an interlocking vault.
Dangerous new CoffeeLoader malware executes on your GPU to get past security tools
Latest in News
Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con up-close from app store
Nintendo's new app gave us another look at the Switch 2, and there's something different with the Joy-Con
cheap Nintendo Switch game deals sales
Nintendo didn't anticipate that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was 'going to be the juggernaut' for the Nintendo Switch when it was ported to the console, according to former employees
Three angles of the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M4 laptop above a desk
Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) review roundup – should you buy Apple's new lightweight laptop?
Witchbrook
Witchbrook, the life-sim I've been waiting years for, finally has a release window and it's sooner than you think
Amazon Echo Smart Speaker
Amazon is experimenting with renaming Echo speakers to Alexa speakers, and it's about time
Shigeru Miyamoto presents Nintendo Today app
Nintendo Today smartphone app is out now on iOS and Android devices – and here's what it does