How to delete or memorialize a deceased person's social accounts

The notifications keep coming. The birthday reminder shows up in June. A stranger tags them in a photo from college. The accounts outlive the person, and someone in the family has to decide what to do about them. This page walks through each platform, step by step.

What to gather first

Before you start any of these requests, gather a few items. Most platforms ask for the same things, and having them in one folder makes the next two weeks easier.

• A digital copy of the death certificate. Order three or four certified copies from the funeral home.
• The deceased person's full legal name, date of birth, and date of death.
• The URL or username of each account you want to handle.
• Proof you are the next of kin or estate executor, if you have it.

Each platform has its own form. Allow two to six weeks per request. Some are faster, some slower. Almost all of them require persistence.

Facebook

Facebook offers two paths: memorialize the account or request removal. Memorializing keeps the profile up with a Remembering tag and lets friends post on the timeline. Removal takes the account down. To do either, go to Facebook Help and search for memorialize or special request for deceased person's account.

If the deceased designated a Legacy Contact in their Facebook settings before they died, that person can also pin a final post, download a copy of the profile, and accept friend requests. Most people did not set this up.

Instagram

Instagram is owned by Meta, the same parent company as Facebook, and the process is similar. You can memorialize or request removal through Instagram's Help Center. Memorialized Instagram accounts keep the posts visible but freeze sign-ins. The same death certificate copy works for both Facebook and Instagram requests.

X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Snapchat

X allows verified immediate family members or estate representatives to request deactivation through their privacy form. They do not currently offer memorialization. The account simply goes away.

LinkedIn has a Memorialize or Remove Account form. They generally process these within a few weeks and ask for the URL, the relationship, and proof of death.

Snapchat does not currently have a public bereavement form. The account will go dormant on its own after long inactivity. You can contact Snapchat support to request removal, but the process is less formalized than the larger platforms.

Apple and Google

Apple's Digital Legacy program lets a designated Legacy Contact access the deceased person's iCloud data, including photos, notes, files, and most messages. The deceased had to set this up in their Apple ID settings before they died. If they did not, you can still request data access by submitting a court order or certain legal documents to Apple support, which is slower and sometimes does not succeed.

Google has Inactive Account Manager, which works similarly. If it was set up before death, the designated trusted contacts get access to specified Google data. If not, you can submit a request through Google's formal bereavement process. It takes months sometimes, and they may not grant full access.

Practical advice from families who have done this

• Do not feel rushed. The accounts can wait. Most can wait years.
• Save the messages before you memorialize. Take screenshots of important conversations.
• Download a copy of their Facebook or Instagram data before deletion. Both platforms allow this.
• Make a list of every account you can think of, then look through old emails for password reset notifications to find the ones you forgot.
• Keep the death certificate in a folder on your desktop. You will need it a dozen times.

After the digital cleanup

For the legal and practical side of estate work, see our legal and practical checklist resource. For the broader season after a death, see our piece on what to do after someone dies. Families in larger cities sometimes use estate-cleanup services that include digital account closure; see our Houston memorial planning page for local resources.

Common questions

Do I need a death certificate to do this?

Yes, for most platforms. Facebook, Instagram, Apple, and Google all require a copy of the death certificate to either memorialize or remove an account. Keep a few extra certified copies on hand for these requests.

What is the difference between memorializing and deleting?

Memorializing keeps the account visible with a small Remembering tag, freezes new sign-ins, and lets friends post tributes. Deleting removes the account entirely. There is no right answer. Some families want the page as a gathering place. Some want it taken down.

Can I get into their email account?

Usually not directly. Both Apple and Google have Legacy Contact and Inactive Account Manager features that allow designated heirs to access data if the deceased set them up before death. If not, you can request data through their formal bereavement processes, which take time and paperwork.