If you’re a smartphone user, urgent action may be needed to avoid losing your personal data.
Samsung has warned customers that they have only weeks to save their Samsung account from deletion.
The free membership service lets people view and manage content across smartphones, tablets, TVs and more.
If affected users don’t act fast, important data such as photos, videos, contacts, calendar events could be lost for good.
But even iPhone users can be affected too – if they previously used a Samsung phone.
The Korean tech giant said the ‘important changes’ to its policy leaves many Samsung account ‘subject to deletion’.
‘Accounts and data that are deleted cannot be restored,’ it warns.
Here’s how to check if you’re affected – and the steps you’ll need to take.
In just a few weeks, the Korean tech giant will start deleting Samsung accounts that have been logged into for two years
In an email being sent to users, Samsung said its new policy is effective from July 31 – in just over six weeks’ time.
The policy will delete Samsung accounts that have been inactive for two years.
The message reads: ‘Thank you for using Samsung account.
‘We are writing to inform you of important changes related to using your Samsung account.
‘Samsung is implementing an inactive Samsung account policy to protect the data of users who have not used their account for an extended period of time.
‘Once this policy is implemented, Samsung accounts that have not been logged in to or used for twenty-four (24) months will be considered inactive and will be subject to deletion.
‘If an account is deleted, access to the account will be restricted and all data linked to the account will be deleted.’
It adds that deleted accounts and data cannot be restored, although some may be saved in ‘accordance with local legal requirements and applicable legislation’.
A Samsung account is a free membership service that lets people use Samsung content on smartphones, tablets, TVs and more
For those people who haven’t used their Samsung Account for a while, it might be worth doing so as soon as possible
A Samsung account includes access to services such Samsung Cloud, which stores personal data including photos, videos, contacts, calendar events and more.
It also includes Samsung Health details, Samsung Pay for mobile payments and SmartThings for managing connective devices, like TVs and fridges.
So there’s potentially a lot of personal data at risk of being lost forever if Samsung customers don’t act soon.
If you’re a regular Samsung account user anyway, you needn’t worry about the company’s new policy.
For those who haven’t used theirs for a while, the problem can be averted by logging into your Samsung account.
This can be done by tapping on the Settings app on your Samsung device, followed by a banner on the top that reads ‘Sign in to your Galaxy’.
You’ll then be prompted to enter your email address and your password (or you can sign in with your Google account).
Alternatively, on a desktop you can head to account.samsung.com, click ‘Sign in’ and then enter your email address and password likewise.
Even iPhone users can be affected too – if they previously used a Samsung phone. Pictured, the iPhone 16 Pro Max
Logging into your Samsung account, or using a service/product while logged in to a Samsung account, counts as activity that will save it from being deemed ‘inactive’.
If you use an iPhone but used to be a Samsung user, it might be worth turning on your old smartphone (if you have it) and logging into Samsung account.
That way, your old personal data under your Samsung account such as photos and videos will be saved.
If you cannot see the email from Samsung in your inbox, you probably logged into your Samsung account recently – but it would be risky to leave it too long before doing so in the future.
Samsung will likely send further email warmings as it gets closer to the July 31 deadline before the policy is implemented.
‘Notifications will be sent to your email address before your account is deleted to prevent unwanted deletion,’ it adds.
It follows a similar move from Google, which started deleting inactive accounts in December 2023.
