How to make sure GMAIL does not delete my account since they are not letting ..?

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I just hear that Gmail will be deleting accounts on December 1 .

 

How to make sure GMAIL does not delete my account since GMAIL is not letting sign in to my account?

Here is the story. This account was create for me over 10 years ago. Every was fine for about 5-6 years.  Year 7 became difficult to sign into email but most time was able to sign in. Year 8 became more difficult and may be sign in 1 only. Year 9 and 10 have not been able to sign in.  Gmail keeps tell me that unknown device but it is the same computer I had with Windows 7. I know my user name and password written on a piece of paper. I know I am typing the correct info. I am an old senior person and have no cell phone since I am not a billionaire like the rest of the world.  I am not great at tech as well.

Hopefully there is some chance but I am sure that mostly like my account will be lost. Thanks for any advice people can provide.

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Information is at the link below. It is an explanation from Google why accounts will be deleted if they have not been active for two years.

– From Google
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/12418290?hl=en

“Google products reserve the right to delete your data when your account has not been used within that product for a 2-year period. December 1, 2023 is the earliest a Google Account will be deleted due to this policy.”

Not sure why you have not been able to access your GMAIL account in years past. But this action by Google has been directed to those with existing accounts that have been inactive for two or more years.
–

You can have someone create a new email account for you if you’re unfamiliar with the process.

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I was in the same boat as you… having a GMail account set up over 10 years ago, having used it off and on for the first several years of its existence (verification by means an emailed code was the practice then); in later years not being able to complete the login process with a texted verification code because I, too, have no cell/mobile phone.

Recently, I decided to log into my Gmail account to keep it alive. I know my login ID and my password and it took that. But, it wanted more from me — a verification code that it would text me (not email me). So, I gave it my friend’s mobile phone number, my friend gave me the verification code (I happen to have an iPad, so my friend iMessaged me the verification code; but I could have been speaking to my friend over my landline phone and that would have worked, too). I gave GMail the verification code it was looking for and I got into my Gmail.

After that, I could log into my Gmail by myself (with no request for a verification code).

I imagine that if you don’t regularly use your GMail, you will be subject to the ‘give-me-the-verification-code-that-was-texted-to-the-mobile-phone-number-you-provided” routine again. So, you might have to log into your GMail account on a regular basis to avoid verification. Either that, or use a friend’s mobile number and get the verification code from your friend, if it comes to that.

I am assuming here that since I have now used my GMail account off and on recently, GMail will consider my Gmail account an active one and will not delete/remove it.

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Ascaris

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I just remembered something upon rereading this. You can also set an alternate (recovery) email address in the Gmail settings. That was how it used to verify me when I used an “unknown” device (I would get alerts every time I signed in, since the cookies it was looking for were gone). I think if you have that and no text number present, it will use the email.

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Ascaris wrote:

I think if you have that and no text number present, it will use the email.

Actually, it’ll use it even if you do have a text number!

I get 3 alerts any time I login to Google from my PC indicating I logged in from an “unknown” device.

One to my cellphone, one to my actual Gmail account (which makes absolutely no sense to me), and one to my backup/recovery email address.

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This is a long shot, but by any chance are you trying to use Firefox to sign into GMail? I have found that recently, I can’t do it. I have to use a different browser.

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I have no problem accessing GMail on Firefox 120.0, every day.

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Gmail wrote:

How to make sure GMAIL does not delete my account since GMAIL is not letting sign in to my account?

For us old timers, there is nothing that can be done. Gmail will delete us on December 1.

I had account for several years. Same as you that last 2 years, Gmail made it impossible to log in. It says that unknown device being used and not let me sign in.  I am using my only computer I have, Windows Xp. I use the agent string trick and I have tried to disable that and still gmail will not let me sign in. I am too old to learn how to use a cell phone. Gmail security made it that owners of account with username and password can not sign. Wonder if hackers have a way to bypasss it. I am think that is done deliberately and was planed by google years ago so now gmail can say these people have not used it and can delete them or take over their accounts and commit fraud.  If not them, than some people that  create new accounts in future with same username. Few have common sense people left in the world now and google was and is now just a big spymaster rather than helping users. Google and MS have the most people without common sense from my two cents. MS has now become the same level or higher than google as spymaster of all.

 

I can not create a new email since need a cell phone by most email providers now. I will live out my days without it.

Sorry to be bear of bad news but that is who this new age is. Old timers do not make money for google. Bye from this old Windows Xp users. BEST AND LAST OS MS made everything after it is trash, garbage, spyware….etc…etc..

Myst wrote:

You can have someone create a new email account for you if you’re unfamiliar with the process.

How? I am curious since most email require cell phone to create. Most old timers like the poster and me do not have cell phone. I know since I tried to create a new gmail, hotmail etc and could not open without cell phone.

 

CWheeler wrote:

This is a long shot, but by any chance are you trying to use Firefox to sign into GMail? I have found that recently, I can’t do it. I have to use a different browser.

Not sure about the poster, but I use firefox and waterfox on my Windows Xp. It always worked except for last 2 years. Other sites work today like askwoody except getting into gmail. I tried IE8 to sign in to gmail and did not work. Gmail says outdated browsers and did not let me sign in. I could not test it if another browser would work.

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Myst wrote:

You can have someone create a new email account for you if you’re unfamiliar with the process.

No one is left that know how to do that and has a cell phone. Few of my friends and family are old people that do not have cell phone and are in same situation as me. The young  people have pass away that help set things up for us non computer users. Thanks for the suggestion.

WCHS wrote:

Either that, or use a friend’s mobile number and get the verification code from your friend, if it comes to that.

None of my friends or family have cell phone. We have landlines and those do not work with google or others. Thanks for the suggestion. Seems need to find people with cell phone.

CWheeler wrote:

any chance are you trying to use Firefox to sign into GMail? I have found that recently, I can’t do it. I have to use a different browser.

Yes. Firefox  was installed on my computer and put on my first screen. I click that to get online. I do not know how to install a different browser. Thanks for the suggestion, may be will figure how to do that.

 

Windows Xp wrote:

For us old timers, there is nothing that can be done. Gmail will delete us on December 1.

That’s is what I figured. Thanks for confirming that.

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My 95 year old Dad has a cell phone.   Old doesn’t mean you stop with technology.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Pat, SueW

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I just created a new email address on GMX using my landline number.  I tried using some of the temporary SMS numbers from a couple of web services, but none of them worked, even though they were able to receive texts. The site accepted my landline and enabled the email account, even though I obviously cannot get texts on the landline.

It should not require a phone number to get an email address. As you know, there is no guarantee that every person who would want an email address has a cell phone.

It hasn’t always been like that, of course. I am pretty sure I created all my gmail addresses that I used to use without them. They would bug me about giving them a phone number for recovery when I would sign in, but I could always refuse and keep going.

I get angry when anything demands to know my cell phone number, and I think I would have remembered the reaction. It has been a long time, though.

 

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SueW, Myst, NaNoNyMouse

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Susan Bradley wrote:

My 95 year old Dad has a cell phone. Old doesn’t mean you stop with technology.

 

Good for him. But I am not well off finical and can not afford a cell phone. My landline cost me $40 dollars plus internet. It was $25 with copper but now with VOIP it when up in price.I am over $15 over my budget now and need to skip eating some days to save money. Cell phone cost $100. That is more than my budget allows.

 

Ascaris wrote:

I just created a new email address on GMX using my landline number. I tried using some of the temporary SMS numbers from a couple of web services, but none of them worked, even though they were able to receive texts. The site accepted my landline and enabled the email account, even though I obviously cannot get texts on the landline.

My VOIP landline does not work with google. I tried that when I was ask for phone number over year ago. I am sorry that I agree for them to take my copper line away. Before with copper, I still had phone line when power was out. Now with VOIP, there is no phone line when there is power outage. New technology is getting worse rather than better.

Now my gmail account is delete. It does not ask for phone number. It says that account not found when I try to sign in.

I am no sure how to create new account like I mentioned before. It was create for me. Plus since I could not use my landline with my original account. I am not sure it will work with a new account.

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Cell Phone Plans | Consumer Cellular

SafeLink Wireless

Free Government Phones: Plans, Devices, How To Apply | WhistleOut

There are programs to help people afford cellular. My girlfriend’s sister in law gets a cell phone under a government plan to provide cheap phone service to those with low income.  If you are getting a land line under this program, you can get a cell phone under this program as well.

Cell phones are not $100.  In my city there it typically a tent next to east bus stop with someone to sign you up to a plan.  You need to investigate your options because the programs are set up to assist you in getting a cell phone.

Cell phones these days are beginning to be more important than a land line.

If you can handle posting to this forum, you can handle getting a cell phone.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Pat

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I lost my gmail account. It was create in the US  about 11-12 years ago but than I move to Netherlands to retire since it is cheaper here than US.  For 4 years, gmail did not let me sign in as well without cell phone. Now it is showing that account not found.

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Ascaris wrote:

just created a new email address on GMX using my landline number.

My gmail account was delete. I knew my user name and password. For 3 years, I have not be able to sign in.  I have been trying to sign into account for 3 months. On 11/30/23 I kept getting that need a cell phone. Today, I tried to sign in and it says that could not find your Google Account.

 

I tried to use my VOIP landline to create a new account and gmail did not take it. It seems as old folks are up the creek without a paddle since Google does not care about us. There is no way to get help from them.

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Don’t use Gmail.  There are other email providers.  Gmail doesn’t provide great support for any of their customers.  Age has nothing to do with it.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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