Estate planning as a Facebook account holder
Meta Platforms, Inc. reviews transfer requests for accounts individually upon receipt of documentation
OverviewWhen someone dies
Facebook Help Center
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursOnline help center; Meta does not offer general phone or live chat support for Facebook users
Request to Memorialize or Remove an Account
WebsiteSubmit claim online →
Verified May 2026
Facebook is the world's largest social network with over 3 billion monthly active users. A Facebook account can hold personal photos, videos, posts, private messages, ad account balances, Meta Pay balances, Facebook Stars (creator monetization), business pages, and groups. Meta also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, and now unifies those identities through Accounts Center -- but memorialization and deletion decisions are still made per product. Facebook has the most developed death policy among social media platforms, offering both memorialization (with an optional Legacy Contact) and permanent deletion. Private messages are never released to anyone after death, ad account balances have no formal estate recovery process, and Instagram has more restrictive policies than Facebook itself.
After a Facebook account holder dies, Meta Platforms, Inc. may transfer accounts to a designated recipient, but this is handled case by case. The outcome depends on the documentation provided and is entirely at Meta Platforms, Inc.'s discretion.
What happens at death
Facebook offers two options for a deceased user's account: memorialization (the default) or permanent removal. When memorialized, the word "Remembering" appears above the person's name, the profile is preserved for its existing audience, no one can log in, and the account is removed from "People You May Know," birthday reminders, event invites, and ad targeting. A Legacy Contact, if designated in advance, can take limited management actions on the memorialized profile (pinned tribute post, profile and cover photo updates, responding to friend requests, moderating tributes, and -- only if pre-authorized -- downloading a copy of shared content). The Legacy Contact cannot log in, read private messages, remove past posts or friends, or change privacy settings. Verified immediate family or an executor/administrator may request permanent removal instead, and if a Legacy Contact has been set, only that Legacy Contact can request removal. The Meta Terms of Service state that the account is a non-transferable license: "You will not transfer your account (including any Page or group you administer) to anyone without first getting our written permission." Private messages are never released to anyone after death; Meta cites the federal Stored Communications Act.
How to protect your Facebook accounts
Transfer of accounts after death is not guaranteed under Meta Platforms, Inc.'s terms. Lifetime planning offers a more reliable way to manage and share accounts while the account is active.
Here are 9 steps to protect and manage your Facebook accounts while the account is active:
1
Designate a Legacy Contact now. In Accounts Center, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Personal Details > Account ownership and control > Memorialization. This is the single most important step. Your Legacy Contact can manage your memorialized profile, write a pinned tribute post, and (if you grant permission) download a copy of your shared content.
2
Choose in advance whether you want your account memorialized or permanently deleted at death. The same Memorialization screen lets you select "Delete account after death." If you choose nothing, memorialization is the default.
3
Grant your Legacy Contact permission to download a copy of your shared content. This is an opt-in toggle when you designate the Legacy Contact. Without it, even the Legacy Contact cannot download your photos and posts.
4
Add at least one additional admin to any Facebook Business Page, Group, or ad account you manage. If you are the sole admin and die, access becomes extremely difficult for the estate to recover.
5
Keep your Meta Pay / Meta Credits balance low. Per the Meta Credits Terms, balances are forfeited on account deletion and have no estate recovery path.
6
For creator monetization (Facebook Stars, in-stream ads): confirm your payout method is linked to a bank account or PayPal that your executor can access. Payments above the payout threshold may continue processing automatically.
7
Document your Facebook account information (email on file, login phone, profile URL) for your executor. The executor cannot log in, but needs to identify the account to submit the appropriate request.
8
For Instagram: note that Instagram has no Legacy Contact feature. Use Meta's "Download Your Information" tool periodically to export your data for your family.
9
For state-law purposes: many states have adopted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), which allows the Legacy Contact designation to function as a "tool" that overrides a general consent clause in your will. Consult a licensed attorney if a will provision needs to match your Legacy Contact selection.
Family sharing
Facebook accounts are non-transferable. The primary pre-death planning tool is the Legacy Contact, designated in Accounts Center (Settings & Privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Personal Details > Account ownership and control > Memorialization). The Legacy Contact is not a co-owner -- they cannot log in, read messages, remove friends, or delete past content. They can only perform limited management tasks on the memorialized profile. Facebook Business Pages can have multiple admins, which provides continuity for business assets. Ad accounts with prepaid balances have no formal estate recovery process.
When someone dies
Handling Facebook accounts after a death
Transfer is handled on a case-by-case basis, 8-step process, and 4 required documents.
View details →
Sources
Data sourced from Meta Platforms, Inc. primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Facebook Help Center
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursOnline help center; Meta does not offer general phone or live chat support for Facebook users
Request to Memorialize or Remove an Account
WebsiteSubmit claim online →
Verified May 2026
