Samsung issues an important warning to users.
Samsung is about to implement a new policy called "Use or Lose," under which millions of accounts that have been inactive for 24 months risk being permanently deleted.
Samsung, one of the biggest names in the technology industry, has just announced a new policy regarding the deletion of inactive accounts, effective from July 31, 2025.
However, users still have a two-year "grace period," until July 31, 2027, before the company actually begins deleting accounts.
According to Samsung's announcement, although the effective date is mid-2025, the company will not immediately delete any accounts. Instead, users will have two years from that date to ensure their accounts remain active.
This means that if you do not log in or use your Samsung account for 24 consecutive months starting from July 31, 2025, your account will be marked as “inactive” and may be permanently deleted.
Regardless of whether you're using one of the premium Galaxy smartphones, a SmartThings device in Samsung's smart home ecosystem, or simply storing data on Samsung Cloud, you'll need to perform a simple but important action: log in at least once every two years. This will help keep your account considered "active" and prevent it from being deleted under the new policy.
Samsung Account: More than just a login tool
For many users, a Samsung account is more than just a way to log into their phone. It's a gateway to accessing the company's entire ecosystem of services, including: Galaxy Store, Samsung Health, Samsung Cloud, SmartThings, Galaxy Wearables, and Samsung Kids.
Losing your account means you will lose access to all the data associated with these services, from phone backups and health data to smart home device settings.
More importantly, there is no way to recover data after an account is deleted. This is a strong step in Samsung's strategy to protect user data and privacy, but it also serves as a wake-up call for users who haven't logged in in a long time.
What constitutes "enough" activity?
Samsung defines an account as “active” if the user performs at least one of the following actions: creating a new account, logging into an existing account, or using any Samsung service or product while logged in.
A simple action like opening the Samsung Health app or logging into the Galaxy Store is enough to "refresh" your account in the system. Therefore, it's advisable to maintain the habit of logging in regularly, even if you don't use your device frequently.
Why did Samsung implement this policy?
Besides streamlining its system, Samsung says this policy is part of its commitment to enhancing user privacy and data security.
Removing accounts that are no longer in use not only helps minimize security risks, but also allows the company to focus its resources on serving its active users.
This isn't an isolated move in the tech industry. Google, Apple, and many other major tech companies have also adopted similar policies to prevent the accumulation of neglected, unused accounts that are at risk of being compromised.
Advice for users
If you own a Samsung device, the first thing to do is check your Samsung account status, making sure you've logged in at least once in the last two years and maintain this habit in the future.
Especially if you store a lot of important data on Samsung Cloud, logging in and checking regularly becomes even more essential.
In the digital age, user accounts are becoming central to the entire technology experience. Proactively managing your account not only helps maintain access but also protects you from the risk of losing important data.