Don’t let Google delete your stuff

February 26, 2024

Did you know Google deletes accounts that have been inactive for at least two years? The good news is that you can save that old account you rarely use by signing in. 

Once you’re logged in, consider whether it makes sense to download everything associated with that account so you can retire it. Here’s how:

• Sign in to your Google account, then go to ​​takeout.google.com.
• Choose all the data you wish to export.
• Hit Next step, then pick how you’d like to receive this information: A download link via email or added to a Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive or Box account.
• Choose how often you’d like to receive this (once or every two months for a year) and the file type you’d like to receive (either .zip or .tgz). I’d go with a zip file.
• Click Create export. You’ll get an email when the process is complete.

That’s it! Go do it before it’s too late.