Last verified 2026-10-28; facts checked against the primary sources below
How to memorialize or delete an Instagram account after someone dies
Last verified: October 28, 2026
The short answer: Anyone who knows the person can ask Instagram to memorialize the profile by sending proof of death, such as a link to an obituary or news article. Only a verified immediate family member can ask Instagram to remove the profile, with proof such as the person's birth or death certificate, or proof of authority under local law to act for the person or the estate. Instagram does not give anyone the login information, and no one can log into a memorialized profile.
Memorialize or remove at a glance
| Memorialize | Remove | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can ask | A friend, someone who knew the person, or family | Verified immediate family members |
| Proof Instagram asks for | Proof of death, such as a link to an obituary or news article | Proof you are immediate family, such as the person's birth certificate or death certificate, or proof of authority under local law that you are the lawful representative of the person or the estate |
| Where to ask | Memorialization request form | Removal request form |
| Result | The profile stays up with "Remembering" next to the name, and no one can log in | The profile is removed from Instagram |
| Login information | Not provided | Not provided |
Instagram's deceased-profile help page is the source for both routes. It does not publish a response time for either request.
How do you memorialize a deceased person's Instagram profile?
Send Instagram's memorialization request with proof of death. Instagram's help page gives a link to an obituary or news article as an example, and says it memorializes a profile when it receives a valid request.
You do not have to be family. Instagram's request page says a friend, someone who knew the person, or their family can ask.
What does a memorialized Instagram profile show?
Instagram's page on memorialized profiles lists what changes:
- No one can log into the profile.
- The word "Remembering" appears next to the person's name.
- Posts the person shared, including photos and videos, stay on Instagram and stay visible to the audience they were shared with.
- The profile does not appear in certain places on Instagram, such as Explore.
If the person did not choose a legacy contact, the memorialized profile cannot be changed. That covers the photos and videos on the profile, comments on the person's posts, privacy settings, the current profile photo, and the followers and accounts followed.
A post or comment on a memorialized profile that breaks Instagram's rules can still be reported with the ordinary report option next to it.
How do you delete a deceased person's Instagram account?
Verified immediate family members can ask for removal with Instagram's removal request form. Instagram's help page says the request needs proof that you are an immediate family member, such as:
- The person's birth certificate.
- The person's death certificate.
- Proof of authority under local law that you are the lawful representative of the person or the estate.
Instagram's normal deletion steps do not work for family. Its account deletion page says Instagram cannot delete a profile for someone else and that the owner must be able to log in to delete it. Use the removal form instead.
Instagram says deletion cannot be undone. Save any photos or posts the family wants to keep before you send the request.
What happens if the person chose "Delete After Death"?
Instagram lets a living user choose Delete After Death instead of a legacy contact. Instagram's memorialization page says that if the person chose it and Instagram receives a valid memorialization request, the profile is deleted.
So a memorialization request may end in deletion.
What can an Instagram legacy contact do?
A legacy contact is someone the person chose, while alive, to look after the profile once it is memorialized. Instagram's legacy contact page says a legacy contact:
- Can update the profile picture.
- Can see and manage tags.
- Can download a copy of content the person shared on Instagram, but only if the person gave that permission.
- Cannot post as the person or send messages as the person.
- Cannot see the person's messages.
The person had to be 18 or older to choose a legacy contact. Instagram's setup page says the choice is made in Accounts Center, under Personal details, Account ownership and control, and Memorialization.
Can family get a deceased person's Instagram password or messages?
No. Instagram's help page says it cannot provide login information for a memorialized profile and that logging into another person's profile is always against its policies. Its page on profiles memorialized by mistake says logging into or changing another person's profile for any reason breaks its Community Guidelines and Terms of Use.
A legacy contact cannot see the person's messages either. Instagram's help pages checked for this guide do not describe a way for family to get a deceased person's direct messages.
What if a profile was memorialized by mistake?
Instagram's help page says a person whose own profile was memorialized by mistake can ask for a review by opening Instagram, entering their username and password, and following the on-screen instructions. Instagram only gives access back if it can verify that the person asking is the profile owner.
Related digital-account guides
- Facebook accounts after death
- All account-after-death guides
- Google accounts after death
- Apple accounts after death
- Discord accounts after death
The Estate Desk helps families settle estates. theestatedesk.com