Export before you cancel, and start at least two weeks ahead. Google’s Data Export tool needs an active subscription and a super admin account at least 30 days old with 2-Step Verification on; the export is ready no earlier than 48 hours after you start, typically takes 72 hours and can take up to 14 days. Once you cancel, Google says users’ data is deleted and can’t be restored.
Requirements and timing
| Item | What Google says |
|---|---|
| Subscription | Must be active; core data is excluded if cancelled or suspended |
| Who can run it | A super admin account at least 30 days old, with 2-Step Verification |
| Large organizations | More than 1,000 users: contact Google Workspace support first |
| Time to complete | No earlier than 48 hours; typically 72 hours; up to 14 days |
After you cancel
| Event | What happens |
|---|---|
| Cancellation | Users’ data is deleted and can’t be restored; users can’t open Drive while deletion runs |
| Deletion | Can take up to 90 days |
| New subscription | Google says you can add one within 51 days of cancelling; otherwise wait until the cancellation process finishes after 84 days |
The data retention clock puts dates on these stages from your cancellation day.
Moving users, not the whole company
If only some people leave, you don’t need a full export. Suspend or archive their accounts to keep the data, or transfer the Drive files they own to someone else before deleting them. A deleted user can be restored for up to 20 days. See offboarding accounts after layoffs.
Then decide what the archive is for
An export of every mailbox and drive is a large, sensitive archive. Store it securely, name an owner, and decide how long you keep it. Years of company email and documents are also what some AI developers license as de-identified data, so it is worth checking that before the archive is deleted.
Questions people ask
Can we export after cancelling?
Do not count on it. Google says core data is excluded from the Data Export tool if the subscription is cancelled or suspended, and that users' data is deleted and can't be restored after cancelling.
What if a payment failed?
Google suspends service if a monthly payment problem isn't fixed within 30 days, and says subscriptions suspended for more than 60 days might be cancelled, with user data lost. Fix billing before anything else.
Sources
Related guides
What to do with old email archives when you move to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
Migrate, archive or let go: how to handle years of old email when switching between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, and when the old vendor deletes it.
Cancelling software when you close: the order that keeps your data
Which business software to cancel first and last when closing, how long Google, Microsoft, Slack, Jira and others keep data, and what to export before.
What happens to Microsoft 365 data when the subscription ends
Microsoft 365's expired, disabled and deleted stages, how long each lasts, what cancelling changes, and how to keep mailboxes without paying for licenses.
Part of Migrating systems.