Last verified 2026-08-17; facts checked against the primary sources below

How to memorialize or delete a Facebook account after someone dies

Last verified: August 17, 2026

The short answer: Submit Facebook's deceased-account request to memorialize the profile or, if you are an immediate family member or executor, request permanent removal. A death certificate is the fastest proof for removal; without one, Facebook accepts specified proof of authority plus proof of death. Facebook does not provide login information, and no one can log in after memorialization.

Facebook deceased accounts at a glance

Choice	Result
Memorialize	Adds “Remembering,” preserves shared content under its existing audience, and prevents login
Permanent removal	Deletes the profile and its content after Facebook verifies the request
Legacy contact	Can perform limited management actions on a memorialized main profile
Account password	Facebook does not provide login credentials
No preselected preference	Facebook generally memorializes the main profile after a valid notice

How do you memorialize a Facebook profile?

Use Facebook's deceased-account reporting page and provide the profile and proof requested by the form. Memorialization secures the account so no one can log in.

Facebook says a memorialized profile displays “Remembering” next to the person's name. Existing posts remain visible to their original audiences, and the profile no longer appears in certain automated surfaces such as People You May Know, ads, and birthday reminders.

Memorialization is usually the preservation choice. It does not give the requester unrestricted access to messages or account settings.

How do you permanently delete a deceased person's Facebook account?

Facebook allows an immediate family member or executor to request removal. Its current help page says the fastest supporting document is a scan or photo of the death certificate.

If you do not have the death certificate, Facebook asks for both:

Proof of authority, such as a power of attorney, a birth certificate when the deceased is a minor, a last will and testament, or an estate letter.
Proof of death, such as an obituary or memorial card.

The information on the documents must match the account. Facebook instructs requesters to cover personal information it does not need, such as a Social Security number.

Permanent removal deletes messages, photos, posts, comments, reactions, and other profile information. Preserve anything the family or estate is entitled to keep before filing an irreversible request.

What can a Facebook legacy contact do?

A legacy contact can perform limited actions on a memorialized main profile, including:

Accepting friend requests.
Changing the profile or cover photo.
Requesting deletion.
Downloading a copy of shared Facebook content if the account owner enabled that feature.

A legacy contact cannot log in as the deceased person. The feature applies to the main profile, not automatically to additional profiles.

If no legacy contact was selected, Facebook says a court administering the estate may issue an order directing it to appoint a custodian of the deceased user's social-media account or add a named individual as legacy contact. Do not seek an order until Facebook confirms what it requires for the case.

Can family get a deceased person's Facebook messages or password?

Facebook does not provide login information, even after death, and says logging into another person's account violates its policies. A legacy contact's management tools do not include ordinary access to private messages.

Facebook has a separate process for requesting content from a deceased person's account, and it can require legal documentation. Describe the specific content and legal need rather than attempting to reset the password.

What happens if the person chose “Delete after death”?

Facebook lets a living user choose either memorialization with a legacy contact or deletion after death. If the person selected deletion, Facebook says the main and additional profiles are permanently removed after it receives proof of death.

The user can manage that preference in Accounts Center under Personal details, Account ownership and control, and Memorialization. Family should not assume a visible profile means no preference exists; submit the notice and let Facebook apply the recorded choice.

Should you memorialize or delete the account?

Choose memorialization when preserving the person's posts and a place for remembrance is important. Choose deletion when the person requested it, the authorized family wants permanent removal, or keeping the profile creates a security or privacy concern.

Coordinate among immediate family and the executor before filing competing requests. Record the decision and save Facebook's confirmation.

Facebook's forms and accepted documents can change. Use the current Help Center process and redact unrelated sensitive information before upload.