Never delete a Google account

Well, hardly ever.

So, you are done with Google!—or at least with your account, and are ready to erase it from your digital life.

Not so fast.

Deleting that account can have many unwanted consequences. And, there are better alternatives.

A case in point: Blogger

If you delete a Google account, you will delete any blogs it is attached to. Unless there are multiple accounts on the blog, even inactive ones.

In that case the blog will persist. You just won't be part of it any more. So if you meant to delete that blog, you are out of luck, because you can't any more.

Maybe leaving the blog to the other accounts was exactly what you intended. Congratulations, you did it!

Deleting your account will, however, delete any photos you posted to the blog from that account, leaving an ugly hole.

An ugly hole.

You can't transfer those photos to another account, either.

Did you leave any comments from that account on any other blog?

The comments will persist. Your ability to delete them, however, will vanish. For good.

Just be OK with that.

Other Google services

Deleting your account will also vaporize

• Videos on YouTube
• Photos in Photos
• Documents in Google Drive
• Gmail
• Apps and content from the Google Play Store
• "Sign-in with Google" access to other web services
• Contacts
• Calendar
• Custom maps

To see all of yours, go to your account's Google Dashboard.

If you genuinely want to be shot of all that, fine.

But maybe you'd be better off paring back (by deleting only the services you do not want) or going dark (hiding your account from public view).

Pare back instead

If you don't like your blog any more, you can delete it (though hiding it might be better).

You can delete pretty much anything in the account: Gmail, videos on YouTube, any or all of your Google Drive documents, and contacts.

You can even drop Google+, though if you wait a week it sounds as though Google is getting ready to take care of that for you.

I'd argue on principle, though, that conceal is almost always better than delete. Putting those services where only you can see them preserves your options and avoids regret.

You may not want those photos or Google Docs or contact today, but maybe you will in a year or five. "How do I get it back, I am so sorry, please help!" is a perennial request on the help forums.

Go dark

You can make your photo albums private. Also your blogs and your Drive documents and your custom maps, assuming you ever shared them in the first place.

Nobody can see those gmails but you.

You can delete an account from your phone or tablet or browser without actually deleting the account from the universe.

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To be honest, if you will never look at this stuff again, you might as well delete it now.

Except you might change your mind someday.

Think, then act

Avoid regret. Hedge your bets. A few months after you delete that account, everything in it will be gone for good. Think about that.

Still want to delete your Google account? Go ahead! But at least this way you know what you are doing.

Also

• Never Delete a Blogger Blog
• Never delete a Blogger profile