Are you one of those people that has multiple personal and business gmail accounts you might have used to sign up for a Google service, but you don’t use all the time? Well, pay attention as Google has announced a new policy for inactive accounts. Don’t lose access to important services!
Google’s Inactive Account Policy
Google considers an account inactive if it hasn’t been used for two years. Starting in December, Google may delete inactive accounts and all data associated with it. That may seem like a long time, but it goes by quicker than you think!
Google has a new policy for eliminating accounts that have been inactive for two years.
Google defines activity as any action you take when signed into your account. This could be reading or sending an email, using Google Drive, watching a YouTube video, and more. It’s not just about logging in. It’s about actually doing something while you’re logged in.
Staying active means more than just logging in – you have to do something.
If you have multiple Google Accounts, you’ve got to keep each one active. Did you set up a Gmail account when getting a new phone, or claiming your business listing? Do you even know how many accounts you have?
What Happens if Your Account is Dormant for Too Long?
If your Google Account’s been dormant for two years, Google will send you notifications to your account and your recovery email. They’ll give you a heads up before anything gets deleted. But if you aren’t checking that email or haven’t set up a recovery account, you could miss that!
Do You Own Your Online Presence?
Check what services are using your Google accounts – Google Business Profile, Analytics, YouTube, Search Console, and Ads and make sure you don’t lose access!
Now would be a great time to check the Google services your business uses and what accounts control and access them. This would be things like your Google Business Profile, Google Analytics, your YouTube channel, Search Console or Ads. Review what accounts have access and update accordingly. Make sure you are periodically logging into those Gmail accounts you set up for your business.
Links in this episode:
Inactive Google Account Policy
New Google Guidelines For Your Hours
