Estate planning as a HBO Max account holder
Warner Bros. Discovery reviews transfer requests for accounts individually upon receipt of documentation
(General customer service)
HBO Max is the streaming platform from Warner Bros. Discovery, offering HBO originals, Warner Bros. films, DC content, and Discovery programming. The service was branded as "Max" from May 2023 until July 2025, when Warner Bros. Discovery restored the HBO Max name. An HBO Max account holds up to 5 viewing profiles with personalized watch histories, recommendations, My List, and downloads. HBO Max accounts are non-transferable under the Terms of Use, which grant a limited, revocable, non-transferable license to access the platform solely for personal, non-commercial use. The account has no transferable monetary value, and subscriptions billed directly through HBO Max are non-refundable. To cancel a deceased person's account, contact HBO Max customer support with proof of death.
After a HBO Max account holder dies, Warner Bros. Discovery 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 Warner Bros. Discovery's discretion.
What happens at death
HBO Max accounts are non-transferable under the Terms of Use, which grant "a limited, revocable, non-transferable license to access the Platform and the Platform's Content solely for your personal, non-commercial use." There is no formal estate transfer or inheritance process, and HBO Max does not publish a dedicated bereavement page. To cancel a deceased person's account, contact HBO Max customer support at 1-855-442-6629 or through the Help Center. Support representatives can work with family members or legal representatives who provide a death certificate and proof of authority to close the account. Whether HBO Max will transfer an account to a surviving family member (rather than simply closing it) is handled on a case-by-case basis, but the Terms of Use do not contemplate transfer. Per the HBO Max refund-policy help page, there is a no-refund policy for subscriptions billed directly through HBO Max (WarnerMedia Direct); the account remains accessible through the end of the current billing period after cancellation. Where the subscription is billed through a third party (Apple, Google Play, Amazon, Roku, Samsung, Xumo, or a TV/ISP provider), refunds follow that provider's policy and cancellation must be done through that provider.
Planning your estate
Protecting HBO Max accounts while the account is active
No beneficiary designation, accounts can only be redeemed, not transferred, and 4-step plan.
View details →When someone dies
Handling HBO Max accounts after a death
Transfer is handled on a case-by-case basis, 6-step process, and 5 required documents.
View details →There is no beneficiary designation option for HBO Max. This means accounts cannot be directed to a specific person through the program itself, unlike traditional financial accounts.
Frequently asked questions
HBO Max allows up to 5 profiles per account, intended for people in the same household. Each profile has its own watch history, recommendations, and My List. For people outside the household, HBO Max offers an Extra Member add-on for $7.99 per month with a separate login and independent viewing profile.
If HBO Max is billed through Apple, Google Play, Amazon, Roku, Samsung, Xumo, or a TV/ISP provider, you must cancel through that billing provider as well. Cancelling directly with HBO Max will NOT stop charges from the third-party provider. Check the account settings at hbomax.com/subscription to determine the billing source.
The service is now HBO Max. Warner Bros. Discovery renamed "HBO Max" to "Max" in May 2023, then restored the "HBO Max" name in July 2025. The catalog (HBO originals, Warner Bros. films, DC content, Discovery, HGTV, Food Network, TLC) is unchanged; existing accounts were migrated automatically each time. URLs at max.com currently redirect to hbomax.com.
Sources
Data sourced from Warner Bros. Discovery primary sources (8 pages reviewed). How we research.
(General customer service)
