Google will start deleting inactive Gmail accounts beginning Dec. 1. Here's how to make sure yours isn't one of them

When was the last time you logged in to your Google account or Gmail inbox? 

If you can’t remember, your account may be deleted for inactivity as early as Dec. 1, according to Google.

The tech giant says accounts that haven’t been used for a certain extended period of time are more likely to be compromised, or at-risk.

To combat the risk, Google says it may delete accounts that haven’t been used for at least two years. This include users’ Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube and Google Photo accounts. 

“Google products reserve the right to delete your data when your account has not been used within that product for a 2-year period,” the company said.

According to Google, inactive accounts are less likely to have two-step verification set up and may use old or re-used passwords.

The company says this change to its inactivity policy will not apply to school or business accounts, only those with personal accounts.

The deletion process will begin with accounts that were created and never used, Google says. 

Users will receive several notifications to both their Gmail account and recovery email address before their account is deleted. 

How to keep your Google account active

“The simplest way to keep a Google Account active is to sign-in at least once every 2 years,” the company’s policy says. “If you have signed into your Google Account or any of our services recently, your account is considered active and will not be deleted.”

If you’ve checked your email, watched a YouTube video or downloaded an app in the Google Play Store, your account is not at-risk for deletion, the company said.

To read Google’s entire inactive account policy, click here.

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