Google will delete inactive accounts within days. Here's how to save your data.

[brooklynite]

CBS News

Google account holders, beware: If you have an old Google account, you have only days to use it or lose it.

Beginning December 1, Google will delete inactive accounts and all their contents, such as photos, calendar entries, e-mails, contacts and Drive documents, according to the company's updated account policy. The system-wide purge is intended to protect users from security threats, such as spam, phishing scams and account hijacking, Google has said.

Here's everything you need to know about how to keep your account active and save your data before the tech giant begins deleting inactive accounts on Friday.

Google is purging inactive accounts from its system because it says they are "more likely to be compromised." Unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords, receive fewer security checks by users and are 10 times more likely not to have two-factor authentication set up, Google's internal data shows.

[Hekate]

1. Oh crud

[Basic LA]

2. As usual, I'm baffled.

What's a Google account? I'm getting prompts on Google searches to log in, or not. Do you have to have an account to use Google?

[Jacson6]

4. They have a Email account and a Cloud Storage System for users.

If you get a Google Email(Gmail) account then you receive 15GB of free Storage (Google Drive). You can upgrade your Storage to 100 GB+ for a yearly fee. If you don't pay the annual fee or don't login for two years then your GMAIL and GDRIVE account is deleted.

[Basic LA]

5. Thanks so much. Now I understand.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Inactive for how long? Is that the only way to get away from Google? Does it work?

[TheBlackAdder]

6. Thanks. Logged on to a couple of side accounts and confirmed 2 phase authentication.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. Just found the notification in Gmai

This might help

How to keep your account active?

The simplest way to keep a Google Account active is to sign in to the account at least once every two years. If you have signed in to your Google Account recently in the past two years, your account is considered active and will not be deleted.

Other ways to keep your account active include:

Reading or sending an email
Using Google Drive
Watching a YouTube video
Sharing a photo
Downloading an app
Using Google Search
Using Sign in with Google to sign in to a third-party app or service
There are some exceptions to this policy. Examples include: a Google Account with YouTube channels, videos or comments; an account that has a gift card with a monetary balance; or an account that has a published application, for example, one that hosts an app on the Google Play store. Other exceptions to this policy are available here.