Originally published: December 8, 2016 | Last updated: March 5, 2025
Facebook users who die have their accounts transformed into memorials or deleted completely. A memorialized account serves as a tribute to the deceased since Facebook displays “Remembering” before their name while their profile stays accessible to friends who can share their memories on the timeline. The system blocks all attempts to access accounts which Facebook has turned into memorialized accounts. The account remains in its present condition because it maintains all existing posts and photos and friend connections but prevents any fresh activities from happening until someone becomes the Legacy Contact. Facebook requires proof of death (typically an obituary or death certificate) before memorializing or deleting an account.
When Facebook learns that a user has died, the account is either memorialized or deleted. A memorialized account is preserved as a tribute, the word “Remembering” appears before the person’s name, the profile remains visible to friends, and people can post memories on the timeline. However, no one can log into a memorialized account. The account is frozen in its current state: posts, photos, and friend connections remain, but no new activity can occur unless a Legacy Contact has been appointed. Facebook requires proof of death (typically an obituary or death certificate) before memorializing or deleting an account.
How Do You Delete a Deceased Person’s Facebook Account?
If the deceased did not set up a Legacy Contact or express a preference for memorialization, family members can request account deletion. This requires submitting a Special Request form to Facebook with proof of death and proof of your relationship to the deceased (such as a power of attorney document, birth certificate, or Will). The process can take weeks. Once deleted, all content, photos, posts, messages, is permanently removed and cannot be recovered. This is why planning ahead is important: if you want your account preserved for family memories, set up a Legacy Contact. If you want it deleted, indicate that in your Facebook settings and in your digital estate plan.
The family members must delete the deceased person’s account because the individual did not create a Legacy Contact or choose memorialization as their preferred option. Users need to fill out a Special Request form which Facebook requires to delete accounts when they present death confirmation documents together with documents that prove their link to the deceased person (including power of attorney documents and birth certificates and Wills). The process can take weeks. All content including photos and posts and messages disappears forever after deletion because there is no way to restore it. People need to create their Legacy Contact right away because this step enables them to protect their social media profiles which later family members will use to access their memories. Users must show their Facebook settings and digital estate plan to delete their accounts.
A Legacy Contact is a person you designate through your Facebook settings to manage your account after it is memorialized. Your Legacy Contact can write a pinned post on your profile (such as funeral information), respond to new friend requests, update your profile photo and cover photo, and request account download. They cannot read your private messages, remove existing content, or log into your account. To set a Legacy Contact, go to Facebook Settings > Memorialization Settings. You can also choose to have your account permanently deleted instead of memorialized.
What Is a Facebook Legacy Contact?
If you are the sole administrator of a Facebook Business Page and you die, the page becomes effectively inaccessible. No one can post content, respond to messages, or manage the page. This can be devastating for businesses that rely on their Facebook presence. The solution is to always appoint multiple administrators for any business page you manage. Add at least one trusted person as an admin so they can continue managing the page if something happens to you. This applies equally to Instagram business accounts, which are managed through the same Meta system.
A Legacy Contact exists as a Facebook feature which lets users select somebody to handle their account after Facebook turns it into a memorial profile. Your Legacy Contact has the ability to create a pinned post on your profile which includes funeral details and they will handle all incoming friend requests while they also maintain your profile pictures and cover pictures and they can initiate account download requests. They cannot read your private messages, remove existing content, or log into your account. To set a Legacy Contact, go to Facebook Settings > Memorialization Settings. Users have the option to pick account deletion instead of memorialization through the available selection.
- Google (Gmail, YouTube, Google Photos): Google’s Inactive Account Manager allows you to designate trusted contacts who receive access to your data after a specified period of inactivity (3-18 months). You can also choose to have your account automatically deleted.
- Apple (iCloud, Apple ID): Apple’s Digital Legacy program allows you to designate Legacy Contacts who can access your iCloud data after your death using a special access key and your death certificate.
- X/Twitter: Family members or estate representatives can request account deactivation by submitting a deactivation request with proof of death.
- Instagram: Similar to Facebook; accounts can be memorialized or deleted upon request with proof of death.
- LinkedIn: Family members can request profile removal by submitting a form with proof of death.
What Happens to a Facebook Business Page When You Die?
Social media planning should be part of your broader digital estate plan. Take these steps now:
- Set up a Facebook Legacy Contact and choose memorialization or deletion.
- Configure Google’s Inactive Account Manager.
- Set up Apple Digital Legacy contacts.
- Document all your social media accounts in LegalWills.ca’s LifeLocker so your executor knows they exist.
- Include digital asset instructions in your Will or leave a letter of instruction for your executor.
- Appoint multiple administrators for any business pages you manage.
Without a plan, your social accounts may remain active indefinitely, become targets for hacking, or be permanently lost with all their content. A few minutes of planning today prevents these problems.
Tim Hewson is one of the founders of LegalWills.ca.
He has over 20 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets including CTV, Global News, The Toronto Star, and other leading Canadian publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books.
Throughout his career, Tim has written extensively on the subject of Will writing and estate planning.
