What happens to Twitch accounts when the owner dies

Twitch Interactive, Inc. (Amazon) has a formal process for transferring accounts after an account holder dies

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Twitch Support

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HoursOnline support only via Help Portal contact form; no published phone number

Twitch Deceased Account Support

Timeline

No published processing timeline. Twitch will contact the estate about remaining payouts. Payouts are issued around the 15th of each month and may take up to 10 business days to process. After 2+ years of no login activity, unpaid earnings above $50 may be subject to escheatment.

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Verified Jul 2026

Twitch has a formal deceased account process documented in a dedicated help article. Family members or estate representatives can request account deactivation or deletion. Twitch will contact the "trustee, personal representative, or loved one with instructions on how to collect any remaining payouts." If a designated person is specified in the deceased user's will or estate plan, Twitch "may consider" transferring the account to that individual -- this is discretionary, not guaranteed. The TOS states: "you may not sell, rent, lease, transfer, share, or provide access to your account to anyone else." The Monetized Streamer Agreement prohibits assignment "by operation of law or otherwise" without Twitch's "express prior written approval." Deactivation is reversible; deletion is permanent.

How to request a transfer

Here is the process for transferring Twitch accounts after the account holder dies:

1
Contact Twitch support through the Help Portal to request account deactivation or deletion.
2
Provide required documentation:
  • •Death certificate or obituary
  • •Documentation confirming the deceased's identity (birthdate or personal information)
3
Choose between deactivation (reversible) or deletion (permanent). Deactivation preserves the possibility of account transfer if Twitch approves.
4
Twitch will contact the trustee, personal representative, or loved one with instructions for collecting remaining payouts. The minimum payout threshold is $50 ($100 for wire transfers).
5
If a person is designated in the will or estate plan to receive the account, Twitch "may consider" transferring the account. This is discretionary and requires Twitch's express written approval.
6
For unpaid streamer earnings: the Monetized Streamer Agreement states "no termination will relieve either party of any liability accruing under the Agreement prior to termination." Earnings accrued before death should still be owed and payable.
7
For Bits and other Digital Content (viewer side): the Terms of Sale state that "Any purchased or accumulated Digital Content remaining in your account at the time of termination will be forfeited and no compensation will be provided," and that Digital Content "has no monetary value ... does not constitute currency or property of any type ... and cannot be exchanged for cash or for any other goods or services." There is no estate recovery for Bits.
8
For Channel Points: no monetary value, non-transferable, subject to expiration. Zero estate value.
9
Be aware of the 2-year escheatment risk: if the account has no logged-in activity for 2+ years, "any unpaid, accrued Program Fees above the Payment Threshold may be subject to escheatment under applicable abandoned property law."

Required Documents

  • Death certificate or obituary
  • Documentation confirming the deceased's identity

Timeline

No published processing timeline. Twitch will contact the estate about remaining payouts. Payouts are issued around the 15th of each month and may take up to 10 business days to process. After 2+ years of no login activity, unpaid earnings above $50 may be subject to escheatment.

Download instructions for the whole estate

Frequently asked questions

Family or estate representatives can request deactivation (reversible) or deletion (permanent). Twitch will contact the estate about remaining payouts. If a person is named in the will to receive the account, Twitch "may consider" transferring it. Unpaid earnings above $50 should be paid out. Bits and Channel Points are forfeited.

Twitch "may consider" transferring the account if a designated person is specified in the deceased's will or estate plan. This is discretionary and not guaranteed. The TOS and Monetized Streamer Agreement both prohibit account transfer without Twitch's express written approval.

Twitch will contact the trustee, personal representative, or loved one with instructions for collecting remaining payouts. The Monetized Streamer Agreement states that liability accruing before termination survives, meaning earned revenue should be paid. After 2+ years of inactivity, unpaid earnings may be subject to state escheatment.

All unused Bits are forfeited upon account termination. The Terms of Sale state: "Any purchased or accumulated Digital Content remaining in your account at the time of termination will be forfeited and no compensation will be provided." Digital Content (which includes Bits) "has no monetary value ... does not constitute currency or property of any type ... and cannot be exchanged for cash or for any other goods or services." There is no estate recovery mechanism.

Yes. Twitch has a dedicated help article for managing a deceased person's account. Twitch requires a death certificate or obituary and identity documentation. It offers deactivation (reversible) or deletion (permanent) and will contact the estate about collecting remaining payouts.

If the account has no logged-in activity for 2 or more years, any unpaid accrued earnings above the $50 payout threshold may be subject to escheatment under applicable state abandoned property law. This means the funds could be turned over to the state rather than remaining available for the estate. Estates should act promptly to claim payouts and avoid this risk.

Partially. Editors can manage content (create clips, edit the schedule, change panels, save or delete VODs) without broadcaster login. Moderators -- and the Lead Moderator role added in December 2025 -- can manage chat (remove messages, ban users, switch chat modes). VIPs get chat privileges (bypass slow, sub-only, and followers-only modes; post links) but no administrative power. None of these roles can transfer ownership, change billing, withdraw payouts, or delete the channel. They are useful for continuity while the estate works through Twitch's deceased account process, not for inheritance.

No. Twitch is owned by Amazon (Twitch Interactive, Inc.) but operates its own deceased account process via help.twitch.tv. Amazon's general account-closure-after-death support does not handle Twitch channels, payouts, or content. Use the Twitch-specific deceased account help article and contact Twitch Support directly.

Once transferred, accounts are subject to the program's standard terms. Having the deceased account holder's details documented in advance makes the transfer process significantly easier for the family.

SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·

Sources

Data sourced from Twitch Interactive, Inc. (Amazon) primary sources (8 pages reviewed). How we research.