Does Apple delete inactive iCloud accounts after one year?

In practice, it doesn’t seem to happen consistently. I have an old iCloud account dating back to the MobileMe era that I haven’t logged into for roughly seven years, and it’s still active. I had simply forwarded its email elsewhere, so Apple may treat some activity or account usage differently. I wouldn’t rely on that, though—if the account matters, signing in periodically is safer.

Yes, Apple’s iCloud terms say the company may terminate an account after one year of inactivity, with 30 days’ notice sent to the email address associated with the account. The wording is “may,” so it gives Apple the option rather than guaranteeing that every inactive account will be deleted.