If, for whatever reason, you need to delete your Gmail account, it's a relatively painless process. Here's how to back up your data and delete your account.

Here's how a Gmail backup can help you save your emails and avoid paying for storage once your Google account clogs up.

1. Start by logging into your original Gmail account, clicking the "gear" icon in the top right and clicking See all settings ...

You can delete your Gmail account in the "Data & Personalization" section of your Google account settings.

Google is altering its policy regarding inactive accounts, with a new time limit on idle accounts aiming to bring even more safety and security to its digital offerings.

Google says it may delete accounts that haven't been used for at least two years. This include users’ Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube and Google Photo accounts.