Google is introducing new policies for consumer accounts, effective from June 1 next year, and if you have been inactive in Gmail, Drive, or Photos for two years, the company may delete the content in the product in which you are inactive.
The new policies are for consumer accounts that are either inactive or over their storage limit across Gmail, Drive (including Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, and Jamboard files) and/or Photos — to better align with common practices across the industry, the company said on Wednesday.
“If you’re over your storage limit for two years, Google may delete your content across Gmail, Drive, and Photos,” the company said. The company said it will notify users multiple times before attempting to remove any content.
“The simplest way to keep your account active is to periodically visit Gmail, Drive or Photos on the web or mobile, while signed in and connected to the internet,” it added.
The Inactive Account Manager can help people manage specific content and notify a trusted contact if you stop using your Google Account for a certain period of time (between 3-18 months).
“If you need more than your free 15 GB of storage, you can upgrade to a larger storage plan with Google One. You can choose from plans starting at 100 GB of space that also include additional member features like access to Google experts, shared family plans, and more”, the company said.
