How to Close a Facebook Account of a Deceased Person

Facebook does not automatically detect that a user has died. Without action from someone who knew them, the account stays active indefinitely — birthday reminders keep firing, friend suggestions keep circulating the profile, and the account remains a target for hackers. You have two options: memorialize it or delete it.

Option 1: Memorialize the Account

Memorialization puts "Remembering" before the person's name, locks the profile so no one can log in, and preserves it as a tribute space. Friends can still post memories on the timeline.

If the deceased set up a Legacy Contact while alive, that person can manage parts of the memorialized profile — pin a tribute post, update profile pictures, and manage friend requests. The Legacy Contact cannot read private messages or log in as the deceased.

To request memorialization, submit Meta's Special Request form with proof of death, such as a death certificate.

Option 2: Delete the Account Permanently

A next of kin can request account deletion through Meta's Special Request form by submitting a death certificate. Deletion removes the profile and its content permanently and cannot be undone.

Do Not Log Into Their Account

Even if you know the deceased's password, logging in violates Facebook's Terms of Service and may violate federal law. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) criminalizes accessing a computer account "without authorization," and courts have interpreted a deceased user's ToS termination as revoking authorization. Use the official memorialization or removal request instead.

Other Social Media Platforms

Instagram: Offers memorialization or removal through Meta's Special Request form with a death certificate. Instagram does not support advance Legacy Contacts.

X (formerly Twitter): Does not offer memorialization. Family members or estate representatives can request deactivation and deletion by submitting a death certificate, their own government ID, and proof of authority to the X help center.

LinkedIn: Any member can report a death to trigger memorialization. The executor or a legally authorized representative can request full account deletion through LinkedIn's help center. Before closing, you can export the deceased's connection list as a CSV to notify their professional network.

Google (Gmail, YouTube, Photos): If the deceased set up an Inactive Account Manager, designated contacts are notified after the chosen inactivity period and can download the data the user selected. Otherwise, next of kin can request manual account closure or data retrieval through Google's support portal with a certified death certificate and proof of relationship.

Apple (iCloud): If the deceased set up a Legacy Contact, that person uses a pre-shared access key plus a death certificate to gain temporary iCloud access. Without a Legacy Contact, you will need a court order to access Apple account data.

Part of a Bigger Process

Closing digital accounts is just one category of the dozens of notifications required after a death. The Notifying Everyone — Master Template Kit covers every institution — digital, financial, government, and personal — with pre-written request letters and a deadline-driven tracker.