Estate planning as a YouTube account holder
Google LLC reviews transfer requests for accounts individually upon receipt of documentation
OverviewWhen someone dies
YouTube Help
WebsiteVisit website→
Google Deceased User Requests (and AdSense rightful heir claims)
Fax(650) 618-8507
Mailing Address
Google, Inc., Attn: Google Legal Support, AdSense Support, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043
WebsiteSubmit claim online →
Verified May 2026
YouTube is the world's largest video platform, with channels that can generate significant ongoing revenue through the YouTube Partner Program (AdSense), channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks, and sponsorships. YouTube channels are tied to Google Accounts and follow Google's deceased user process. YouTube is notable for two estate-friendly features: (1) AdSense continues paying automatically to the linked bank account after death, and a rightful heir can claim unpaid earnings, and (2) Google's Inactive Account Manager allows pre-configuration of up to 10 trusted contacts to receive data. The critical estate planning tool is the Brand Account: channels on Brand Accounts can have multiple owners, allowing effective "inheritance" without any Google estate process. Additionally, Google does not currently delete inactive accounts that contain YouTube videos, providing an important exception to the 2-year inactivity deletion policy.
Google LLC reviews transfer requests for YouTube accounts on a case-by-case basis after the account holder's death. Approval is at the company's sole discretion, and documentation requirements must be met before any transfer is considered.
YouTube supports transferring accounts to another person during the account holder's lifetime.
What happens at death
YouTube defers to Google's account-level deceased user process. Google considers requests from immediate family members and legal representatives to: (a) close the account, (b) obtain data from the account, or (c) request funds from the account. Google states its primary responsibility is to keep people's information secure, safe, and private, and that decisions are made only after careful review. Google explicitly notes: "We cannot provide passwords or other login details." Critically, if the account is closed, "Google is unable to process any request to turn over the contents of the account at a later date," so closure is irreversible for data recovery. There is no memorial mode for YouTube channels. However, AdSense revenue continues paying automatically to the linked bank account after death (the system does not know the owner is deceased), and a rightful heir can claim unpaid earnings with appropriate legal documentation. Google's Inactive Account Manager allows pre-death designation of up to 10 trusted contacts to receive specified data (including YouTube data) after a configurable inactivity timeout -- effectively a beneficiary-designation feature for digital assets.
How to protect your YouTube accounts
Google LLC does not guarantee transfer of accounts after death. Lifetime planning provides options for managing accounts and controlling who has access to them.
8 lifetime planning steps for your YouTube accounts:
1
Set up your YouTube channel under a Brand Account and add a trusted person as an owner. This is the single most important step. Brand Account owners retain full access to the channel without needing Google's deceased user process. Go to the Brand Accounts section of your Google Account, select the account, click Manage permissions, then Invite new users. Note: YouTube now recommends the channel permissions system for delegating access, but channel permissions explicitly "can't transfer ownership to other users" -- Brand Account roles remain the only path for ownership succession.
2
Configure Google's Inactive Account Manager. Set an inactivity timeout, designate up to 10 trusted contacts, choose which data to share with each contact (including YouTube), and optionally set the account to auto-delete after the timeout. This is effectively a beneficiary-designation tool for your Google digital assets.
3
Ensure your AdSense payout method is linked to a bank account your executor can access. AdSense continues paying automatically after death. If the bank account is closed, payments fail and Google holds the funds until they are claimed by a rightful heir or escheated to the state.
4
Keep your Google account active. Sign in at least once every 2 years to prevent automatic deletion under Google's inactive account policy. Google has stated it does "not have plans to delete accounts with YouTube videos at this time," but this exception is policy, not contract, and could change.
5
Continue uploading or posting on your channel at least every 6 months to preserve monetization eligibility. YouTube reserves the right to remove monetization from channels not uploading or posting for 6 months or more.
6
Document your Google account credentials for your executor. While Google does not share passwords through the deceased user process, having the credentials yourself allows the executor to manage AdSense, download data, and maintain the channel directly before any estate request.
7
Back up your YouTube videos locally using YouTube Studio's download feature. If the Google account is eventually deleted (through account closure during estate processing or future policy changes around inactivity), uploaded videos cannot be recovered.
8
For significant AdSense revenue: consider whether YouTube channel earnings constitute an ongoing income stream that should be specifically addressed in your estate plan, including who is authorized as the rightful heir for AdSense claim purposes.
Family sharing
YouTube channels on personal Google accounts cannot be transferred. However, channels linked to Brand Accounts can have multiple owners and managers. An owner can add others by going to the Brand Accounts section of their Google Account, selecting the account, choosing "Manage permissions," then "Invite new users." Each Brand Account must have one primary owner. To become primary owner, a user must be an owner for at least 7 days, then on the Brand Account permissions page click the down arrow next to their name, select "Primary owner," then "Transfer." Channel ownership can effectively be transferred by adding a new owner and the original owner removing themselves. This is the key estate planning mechanism: if a creator sets up their channel under a Brand Account and adds a trusted person as an owner before death, that person retains full access without needing Google's deceased user process. YouTube's newer [channel permissions system](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9481328) explicitly "can't transfer ownership to other users" -- only Brand Account roles enable true ownership succession, even though [channel permissions are now the recommended day-to-day delegation model](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9367690). Separately, Google's [Inactive Account Manager](https://myaccount.google.com/inactive) allows pre-configuring up to 10 trusted contacts to receive YouTube data (exports, not account access) after a configurable inactivity timeout.
When someone dies
Handling YouTube accounts after a death
Transfer is handled on a case-by-case basis, 9-step process, and 5 required documents.
View details →Frequently asked questions
A proactive estate planning tool that lets you designate up to 10 trusted contacts to receive your Google data (including YouTube) if your account becomes inactive for a chosen period. You can share different data with different contacts. Contacts receive data exports, not account access. You can also set the account to auto-delete. Configure at myaccount.google.com/inactive.
Two risks exist: (1) YouTube reserves the right to disable monetization after 6+ months without uploads or community posts. (2) Google may delete accounts inactive for 2+ years. However, Google does not currently delete inactive accounts that contain YouTube videos -- this is an important exception. Google sends multiple notifications before deletion.
Sources
Data sourced from Google LLC primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.
YouTube Help
WebsiteVisit website→
Google Deceased User Requests (and AdSense rightful heir claims)
Fax(650) 618-8507
Mailing Address
Google, Inc., Attn: Google Legal Support, AdSense Support, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043
WebsiteSubmit claim online →
Verified May 2026