Deleting your Google account is permanent and irreversible — so it's worth doing carefully. Whether you're switching to a privacy-focused alternative, cleaning up old accounts, or just moving on, this guide walks you through every step including how to save your data before it's gone.
What gets deleted
When you delete a Google account, you permanently lose access to:
- Gmail and all emails in that account
- Google Photos and any photos stored there
- Google Drive files (unless shared to another account)
- YouTube channel and videos uploaded with that account
- Google Play purchases (apps, books, movies)
- Google Meet history and contacts
- Any subscriptions linked to that Google account
Important: If you use this Google account to sign in to other apps (Spotify, Netflix, etc.), you'll need to update those logins before deleting.
Step 1 — Download your data first
Go to takeout.google.com while signed in to the account you want to delete. This is Google Takeout — it lets you export everything: emails, photos, Drive files, YouTube data, contacts, and more.
Select the services you want to export, choose your file format (ZIP is easiest), and click Create export. Google will email you a download link when it's ready. This can take hours for large accounts.
Do not skip this step. Once the account is deleted, this data cannot be recovered.
Step 2 — Check for active subscriptions
Visit myaccount.google.com/payments-and-subscriptions and check for active Google One, YouTube Premium, or Google Play subscriptions. Cancel them before deleting — otherwise you may still be charged.
Step 3 — Remove the account from apps
Check any apps or websites where you signed in with "Sign in with Google" using this account. Update them to a different sign-in method or email before proceeding.
Step 4 — Delete the account
- Go to myaccount.google.com
- Click Data & Privacy in the left sidebar
- Scroll down to More options and click Delete your Google Account
- Sign in again to verify it's you
- Review the checklist of what will be deleted and check all the confirmation boxes
- Click Delete account
The deletion takes effect immediately. Google may retain some data for a period as required by law, but you will no longer have access to the account or its contents.
Alternative: Delete only specific Google services
If you want to keep your Google account but delete a specific service (e.g. just Gmail, just YouTube), you can do that from the same Data & Privacy page under Delete a Google service. This is useful if you want to remove Gmail but keep your YouTube history.
Take your time with Step 1. A complete Takeout export is the only backup you'll have — and Google gives you no second chances once the account is gone.
Watch the full walkthrough on the YouTube channel.