Make a backup and then delete your Google account

Whether you want to close your Google account privacy concerns Whether you are trying to reduce the number of Internet accounts you have, the process takes some effort and time but can be done without much fuss.

The key is to take the time to download a copy of all your data and make sure none of your online accounts are using the Gmail address you are about to close. It would be a shame if you lose access to your bank account because you forgot to change your email address beforehand.

Below, I will walk you through backing up your Google account data and then point you in the right direction to close your Google account.

Please backup all your data before closing your account

With Google’s takeaway service, it is easy to download all the data associated with your Google account with a few clicks. First, go to the Google Takeout website and sign in to the account you want to close.

Go through the list of the different services and apps associated with your Google account and uncheck the box next to anything you don’t want backed up. I suggest leaving them all checked. It is better to have the data and not need it than to need the data and not. Take the time to go through the options for sections like Google Photos and make sure to include all of your photo albums.

Click Next step at the bottom of the list. The next section will ask how you would like your data to be delivered. You can have Google automatically place the files in another cloud storage service (the current options are Dropbox, OneDrive and Box, in addition to Google Drive), or you can have Google email a link to download the data when it’s ready.

Then select your export preferences. Since you’re closing your account, just stick with the default selection or Export onceSelect the type and size of the files you want to receive.

Finally, click Make an export and then wait. According to Google, it can take a few hours or even days for all of your information to be collected and ready to download. You will receive an email when Google has finished preparing the files.

How to close your Google account

With a copy of your data safely stored, it is time to delete your account. Go to the Google account website, sign in to the account you are closing and select it Data & personalization option on the left side of the screen.

Find the section labeled Download or delete your data and click on Delete a service or your accountThen click Delete your accountYou will need to log in to your account again.

Google gives you the option to back up all your data and shows you a list of all the services you no longer have access to, including how much data is stored in each. For example, if I delete my account, I will lose all 602 contacts that I have saved in Google Contacts.

Once you’ve made sure you have all your details, scroll to the bottom of the page and check the two boxes to confirm you want to delete your account, then click the button Remove Account button.

If you’d rather delete your entire Google account but are more concerned about how much data the company stores about you, you can only delete the dataWe also have guides to help you get rid of your Facebook account Amazon account and Instagram account