Delete and Recover a Gmail Account

Deleting your Gmail account is a big deal, as you will also lose access to any other Google products and services that you might use with that account, such as Google Drive or the Play Store. If you want to delete your account, you can do so through the Google account management website. On the flipside, if you've accidentally deleted your account, you may be able to recover it if you act quickly enough.

Note: You only have two business days to recover a Gmail account. Otherwise it is gone forever.[1]

Steps

Deleting a Gmail Account

  1. Log on to your Gmail account. Head over to Gmail and log into your account like normal. You'll need internet access to delete your account, and it is much easier on a computer than your phone.[2]
    • Deleting your account does not free up your email address for the future. You cannot use the same handle again, (wikihow@gmail.com) ever again.
    • This process will delete emails and saved contacts, but not Search History or Youtube information. Your Google Account is safe.[3]
  2. Click the picture of yourself, or the letter of your first initial, in the upper right corner of Gmail. From your inbox screen, click the circular button in the absolute top-rightmost corner. This should bring up a menu with a blue "My Account" button, as well as "Add Account" and "Sign Out" buttons.
  3. Click on "My Account" and then "Account Preferences." This is the page controlling your entire Google account, not just Gmail. This allows you to get rid Gmail while keeping your Google account.
  4. Find and choose "Delete your account or services" from the menu on the left. Under the words "My Account" are several headings going down the page -- Welcome, "Sign-in & security," "Personal info & privacy," and finally "Account preferences." You'll find "Delete your account" here, as far down as you can get.[1]
  5. Choose "Delete Products" and then re-sign in to confirm your decision. After clicking "Delete your account or services," you'll have the option, on the right, to just delete small products (like Gmail) or delete all of your account and data. Select the Gmail, the re-sign in to ensure that you didn't click anything accidentally.
  6. Consider downloading your data before deleting. You can click "Download Data" to save your contacts, conversations, and emails before ditching the entire service. This is almost always worth it unless you're trying to get rid of everything.[2]
    • This will make an archive of your emails in a Google Drive account. It may take several minutes or hours depending on your internet speed and inbox size.
  7. Click on "Gmail" and read the short disclaimer about deleting your account. As Google says itself -- this is not "the usual yadda-yadda." There are important points to consider, including:
    • Deleting the account may make it impossible to recover old passwords (ones set to your Gmail account)
    • You only have a short period of time to recover your account, only two days, if you make a mistake
    • You cannot get your same username and account back ever.[5]
  8. Confirm the deletion of your account. When you enter "Delete account and data," a warning appears, and you will be asked to confirm your desire to delete the account. Check each box to confirm that you understand you will be losing access to these services. You aren't selecting what will be deleted here; you are simply acknowledging that you know these items will disappear. Enter your password at the bottom of the screen.
  9. Confirm again. Check the box next to "Yes, I want to delete my account", the box next to "Yes, I acknowledge that..." and click "Delete Google Account". Your Gmail account will be scheduled for deletion.[1]

Recovering a Gmail Account

  1. Act quickly -- you only have two business days. Google accounts are only kept for a short amount of time after being marked for deletion. If you’re acting quickly, you may be able to recover your account, but you only have two days to do so.[1]
    • These two days are not guaranteed. The faster you move the better.
  2. Go to the Google Password Assistance page. On the sign-in page, select the "I'm having other problems signing in'" option. Enter your deleted email address, and click "Continue".
  3. Enter your old password. You will be directed to a page that asks for the most recent password you remember. Enter it, then click "Continue".[1]
  4. Click "Submit a recovery request". When you enter your password, you will be directed to a page that informs you that your account was deleted. You will see a link to a recovery request form. Click it.
    • If you do not receive a link to the recovery request, then your account has already been permanently deleted. There is no more that you can do.[1]
  5. Complete the verification process. Once you’ve clicked on the recovery request form, you’ll have a series of verification steps to complete. Enter an email address that you have access to, and answer the questions about your password, your last account access, and when you created your account. Google will use this information to verify that you are the actual owner.
    • If you don't have any of this information, you may still be okay. Submit your claim anyway and explain your circumstances, then wait for your response.
  6. Check your email. Google will send an email to the address you provided. This email may take a little while to appear. Check that email and click the enclosed link to create a new password for your account. You have successfully resurrected your deleted account.
    • Remember, deleting your account deleted all your data, too. It will take time to download it all back.
    • Note that you may get an email that says your "account was deleted and is no longer recoverable." If you get that message, your Gmail account is gone forever.
    • If your account has been deleted, you can create a new Google account, but it cannot use the same name as your old account.[6]



Warnings

  • Google accounts will not always be recoverable, and, if they are, they will only remain that way for a very short time. It is best not to delete your account unless you are completely certain that that’s what you want.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6236295?hl=en
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.maketecheasier.com/delete-gmail-address/
  3. ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/61177?hl=en
  4. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/32046?hl=en
  5. ↑ https://accounts.google.com/DeleteCaribouService
  6. ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32046?hl=en
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