Deleting your account from an online service you no longer use is generally a good idea. However, it's a little less so when it comes to deleting an account that integrates email. This is the case, for example, with Google, which integrates Gmail (or Microsoft with Outlook). Why? Simply because deleting your email address can get you into a lot of trouble.
If you used this email address as your login to create other online accounts (and for which you forgot to change the email address), you will no longer be able to access them. A malicious soul could, for example, come behind you and subsequently recreate your email address to regain control of these forgotten accounts.
That being said, if the email address in question has never been used for anything other than sending and receiving messages (and spam), the way seems clear. With Gmail, deleting your email account cannot be separated from deleting your Google account; the two are one and the same. The process for drawing a definitive line is relatively simple, although not exactly intuitive. Here's how to do it.
1. Go to your Google account management page
Start by going to your Google account management page. To do this, from Gmail, click on your avatar and select Manage your Google account. You can also go directly to the page https://myaccount.google.com to log in to your Google account if you haven't already.
2. Access the Data & Privacy menu
Once on your Google Account homepage, click on Data & Privacy in the left column. Then scroll down the entire page, and at the bottom, click on Delete your Google account.
You should then be asked to log in to validate access to the page for deleting your account.
3. Back up the data associated with your Google/Gmail account
Before you permanently delete your Google/Gmail account, keep in mind that all data associated with this account will also disappear. This includes photos and videos saved to Google Photos, all Google Docs documents, and documents stored in Google Drive.
Rest assured, before burying your account, Google will offer you the option to Download your data via its Google Takeout service. You can, for example, export your entire Google Photos library in just a few clicks.
4. Delete your Google/Gmail account
Once all your data has been saved, Google will show you all the associated data that you are about to delete. In addition, if you have a current subscription with this Google account, any pending financial transactions associated with it will still be due.
Then check the two boxes displayed to acknowledge that you are still liable for the fees related to all pending financial transactions, and to confirm that you want to delete your Google account. Finally, click on Delete Account.
If you change your mind, you can always try to recover your Google account by trying to log back in. Google generally gives users 14 days before permanently deleting a deleted account.
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