Google will remove developers’ Play Store accounts if they have been inactive for a year or more. Developer accounts of apps that have already been downloaded a number of times will still exist.
Google writes in an update for developers that it will take more action against inactive accounts from this year. In it, the company describes that ‘sleep accounts’ will be removed from now on if they are no longer active. These are accounts that have not been used for a year. Accounts that are active but do not upload apps or access the Play Console will also be removed.
The company makes an exception for some small developers. If an account has published an app with more than a thousand installs or an in-app purchase has been made, Google will not remove the accounts. That must have happened in the ninety days prior to that. It is not possible to reactivate those old accounts.
Google is taking the measures for security reasons, the company says. If developers actively manage their apps, the Play Store will benefit from it, according to the company. The policy will come into effect on September 1 of this year.