Does deleting a google account also delete sent mail

When you delete a Google account, it's not a straightforward process, and the fate of your sent emails depends on several factors. Here's what you need to know:

Google's default behavior:

When you delete a Google account, Google typically keeps the account's data, including emails, for a certain period. This is to comply with data retention laws and regulations. The exact retention period varies depending on the type of data and the jurisdiction. For emails, Google typically keeps them for 18 months before permanently deleting them.

Sent emails:

When you delete a Google account, your sent emails are not immediately deleted. Instead, they are moved to a special "Trash" folder, where they remain for 30 days. During this period, you can recover them by logging back into the account and accessing the Trash folder.

Permanently deleting sent emails:

After 30 days, the emails in the Trash folder are permanently deleted. This means that if you delete a Google account and don't recover your sent emails within 30 days, they will be gone forever.

Exceptions:

There are some exceptions to this rule:

  1. Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) accounts: If you have a Google Workspace account, your administrator may have configured data retention policies that affect the deletion of emails.
  2. Google Takeout: If you've used Google Takeout to export your emails, they may still be available in your Google Drive account.
  3. Third-party apps: If you've used third-party apps that integrate with your Google account, they may have cached or stored your emails. In this case, the emails may not be deleted immediately.

Best practice:

To avoid losing your sent emails, it's a good idea to regularly back up your emails using Google Takeout or a third-party email backup service. This way, you'll have a copy of your emails even if you delete your Google account.

In summary, when you delete a Google account, your sent emails are not immediately deleted. They are moved to a Trash folder, where they remain for 30 days. After 30 days, they are permanently deleted. To avoid losing your emails, consider backing them up regularly using Google Takeout or a third-party service.