Home › Guides › Notifications › Close or Memorialize Digital Accounts
Close or Memorialize Digital Accounts
Notifications
Review and manage the deceased's digital presence. This includes social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X), email accounts, cloud storage (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox), and any other online profiles. Most platforms offer either memorialization or account deletion — both require a death certificate and proof of relationship. Maintain access to email accounts for several months, as they often reveal unknown accounts, subscriptions, and correspondence. Before closing cloud accounts, download any photos, documents, or files the family may want to keep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Digital
How do I memorialize a Facebook account?
Submit a memorialization request at facebook.com/help/contact/305593649477238 with proof of death (obituary or death certificate). The profile will show "Remembering" before the name, preserve all content, and prevent anyone from logging in. If the deceased designated a Legacy Contact, that person can manage the memorialized profile. Alternatively, you can request full account deletion.
What is Google's Inactive Account Manager?
If the deceased set up Google's Inactive Account Manager before death, trusted contacts will automatically receive access to specified data after a set inactivity period (3-18 months). If not, you can submit a request to Google for account access or closure at support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590—you will need to provide your ID, the death certificate, and proof of your relationship to the deceased.
Process
Which digital accounts should I secure first?
Prioritize in this order: (1) email accounts—these are the keys to resetting passwords on everything else; (2) financial accounts (banking, investment, payment apps like Venmo/PayPal); (3) social media to prevent hacking or impersonation; (4) subscription services to stop recurring charges. Change passwords on any account you can access to prevent unauthorized use while you work through the list.
Legal
Can I access the deceased's email or cloud storage?
Most email providers will not grant login access, but may provide account contents to verified next of kin with a death certificate, Letters Testamentary, and a court order. Apple, Google, and Microsoft each have specific processes for deceased users' data requests. If you know the deceased's passwords or they used a password manager, you can access accounts directly—this is the simplest path.