What happens when you delete your Google account
Deleting your Google account removes it permanently from Google's servers. You lose access to Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, YouTube, Google Calendar, and any other Google service tied to that account. If you use that email address to sign into apps or websites — Spotify, Slack, your bank's website — you will no longer be able to sign in that way, though the accounts themselves stay active if you created them separately.
Google gives you a window to change your mind: you have about two weeks after deletion to recover the account if you sign back in with the same email and password. After that, the account and all its data are gone for good. If you have important emails or files, read them first — this step cannot be undone once the recovery window closes.
Before you start, check whether you use this email for anything critical: banking, work, subscriptions, or two-factor authentication on other accounts. If you do, move those to a different email address first, or you may lock yourself out of services you still need.
Key Takeaways
- You have about two weeks after deletion to recover your account by signing back in, but after that the account and all data are permanently gone.
- read your emails, photos, and files before you delete, because you cannot retrieve them afterward.
- Change the email address on any banking, work, or subscription accounts that use this Google email, or you will lose access to them.
- The deletion process takes place on Google's account recovery page, not in Gmail settings, and requires you to verify your identity.
read your data before deletion
Open a web browser and go to takeout.google.com. Sign in with the Google account you plan to delete. Google Takeout is Google's tool for downloading everything associated with your account — emails, photos, documents, calendar events, contacts, and more.
On the Takeout page, you will see a list of Google services. By default, all are selected. You can uncheck services you do not need, or leave them all checked to read everything. Scroll down and click the blue "Next step" button.
Choose your file format and delivery method. For most people, the default settings work fine: ZIP file format, delivered to your email. Click "Create export" and Google will prepare your read. Depending on how much data you have, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Google will email you a read link when it is ready. read the file and save it somewhere safe on your computer — an external hard drive is a good choice.
Sign out of all devices
Before you delete the account, sign out of it on every device where you are currently signed in. This includes your phone, tablet, laptop, and any other computer. If you leave the account signed in on a device, that device may stop working properly after deletion, and you will have trouble signing back in if you change your mind during the recovery window.
On your computer, open Gmail or any Google service and look for your profile picture or initial in the top right corner. Click it and select "Sign out". Repeat this on any other browser or device where you use this account. If you have a phone, go to Settings, find Accounts or Google, select this account, and choose "Remove account".
Go to the account deletion page
Open a web browser and go to accounts.google.com/deleteaccount. Sign in with the account you want to delete if you are not already signed in. Google will show you a warning page explaining what will happen: you will lose access to Gmail, Drive, Photos, YouTube, and other services. Read through the list to make sure you understand what you are about to lose.
Check the two boxes that say you understand the consequences. The first confirms you understand your data will be deleted. The second confirms you understand you may lose access to other services that use this email. Both boxes must be checked before you can proceed.
Verify your identity and confirm deletion
Google will ask you to verify that you own this account. You may be asked to enter a recovery phone number, a recovery email address, or a code sent to your phone. Follow the prompts and provide the information Google requests. This step protects your account from being deleted by someone else who has access to your computer.
Once you have verified your identity, Google will show you a final confirmation screen. It will list the email address one more time and ask if you are sure. Click the red "Delete account" button to complete the deletion. The account is now scheduled for removal, and you have entered the two-week recovery window.
What to do if you change your mind
If you deleted the account by mistake or change your mind within two weeks, you can recover it. Go to accounts.google.com and try to sign in with the same email and password you used before. Google will recognize that the account is in recovery mode and offer you the option to restore it. Click "Recover your account" and follow the prompts.
You will need to verify your identity again, just as you did during deletion. Once verified, your account, emails, photos, and files will be restored. After the two-week window closes, recovery is no longer possible, and the account is permanently deleted.
Update accounts that relied on this email
After the account is deleted, any service that you signed into using "Sign in with Google" will no longer work with that method. You will need to set up a new way to sign in to those services. Go to each one — Spotify, Slack, your bank, or any other app — and change the sign-in method to a password or a different email address.
If you created separate accounts on these services but used your Google email as the recovery email, change the recovery email to a different address you still have access to. This prevents you from being locked out if you ever forget your password. Most services let you change this in Settings or Account preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting my Google account delete my Gmail inbox?
Yes. Your Gmail inbox and all emails in it will be deleted permanently after the two-week recovery window closes. read your emails using Google Takeout before you delete the account if you need to keep them.
Can I delete just Gmail without deleting my whole Google account?
No. Gmail is part of your Google account, not a separate service. If you want to keep your Google account but stop using Gmail, you can archive all your emails or set up forwarding to a different email address instead.
What happens to my Google Drive files when I delete my account?
All files in your Google Drive will be deleted permanently after two weeks. Files you shared with other people will disappear from their view, but if they made a copy, their copy stays. read important files before you delete the account.
Do I need to delete my YouTube channel separately?
No. Your YouTube channel is tied to your Google account. When you delete your Google account, your YouTube channel and all your videos are deleted as well. If you want to keep your YouTube channel, do not delete your Google account.
What if I forgot the password to the account I want to delete?
Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and follow the steps to reset your password. You will need access to a recovery email or phone number you set up with the account. Once you have reset the password, you can sign in and proceed with deletion.