Don’t Lose Your Data: How to Keep Your Google Account from Going Dormant

You must sign in and check your Google account at least once every few months if you haven’t done so in a while. According to Google, it has modified its rules on dormant accounts and will remove accounts that have been inactive for the previous two years. However, if you are worried that your Google account could go dormant, there are some simple things that you can do to keep it active. Here are a few ways to keep it active

Gmail is a powerful tool for reading and writing emails and by doing this, your Google account stays active. To write an email, simply click on the “Compose” button and enter the recipient’s email address, subject, and message. You can also add attachments, such as documents or images, by clicking on the paperclip icon. To read an email, simply click on the email in your inbox. You don’t have to do anything, by reading an email, your Google account stays active.

Gmail uses machine learning to sort your emails into different tabs, such as Primary, Social, and Promotions, making it easy to find what you’re looking for. Additionally, you can use Google Chat in Gmail for one-on-one or group conversations, or use Google Groups to create a group with moderation controls. These also keep your account active.

3. Watching a video on YouTube

Something as simple as watching a video on YouTube can keep your Google account active. Watching a video on YouTube is a popular pastime for many people. YouTube is a video-sharing site that allows users to watch videos on any device, anywhere. The site is home to a vast array of content, from music videos to educational videos, and everything in between. So, if you spend time on other platforms watching videos, then you may want to swap to YouTube. This will help you keep your Google account active.

4. Getting a program from the Google Play Store

Getting a program from the Google Play Store does not directly help to keep your Google account active. However, adding a Google account to your device is necessary to start downloading and buying items on the Google Play Store app. Google Play services is used to update Google apps and apps from Google Play, and it provides core functionality like authentication to your Google services.

Google promised to proceed carefully and gradually while providing users with ample notice:

1. The policy will not take effect immediately. But even if it does, the people with inactive accounts won’t be affected right away. So, you don’t have to be worried
2. The earliest that Google will start removing inactive accounts is December 2023.
3. Google will approach the issue step-by-step, beginning with accounts that were created but never used.
4. In the months before cancelling an account, Google will send many emails to both the account email address and the rescue email (if one has been provided).

Why will Google delete an account if it is inactive?

Even though an account has various security safeguards, if it hasn’t been used for a while, it is more likely to be hacked. This is due to the fact that stolen or deserted accounts often make use of exposed passwords, lack two-factor authentication, and have fewer user security checks. According to the company’s study, dormant accounts are less likely than active accounts to have 2-step verification enabled. It shows that these accounts are often at risk of hacking. Once an account has been hacked, it can be used for anything from sending spam to sharing other undesired or even harmful content to stealing someone’s identity.