Short answer
Each platform offers official routes, and none of them gives out passwords. Facebook: anyone can ask to memorialize the profile with proof of death; immediate family or an executor can request removal with a death certificate; a legacy contact chosen by the person can manage a memorialized profile. Instagram: memorialization with proof such as an obituary; removal for verified immediate family. Google: family members and representatives can ask to close the account, request funds or obtain data — and closing first rules out a later data request.
- Memorialize: send proof of death — an obituary, death certificate or memorial card — through Facebook’s special request form. The details must match the account.
- Remove: immediate family or the executor can request removal with a scan of the death certificate. If the person chose a legacy contact, only the legacy contact can request removal.
- Content: getting messages or files requires an authorised representative with a court order referencing disclosure of electronic communications.
- The same form covers a medically incapacitated person’s account and a deceased person’s account that has been hacked or is posting spam.
- Memorialize: anyone can report the profile with proof of death, such as a link to an obituary or news article. A memorialized profile can’t be changed or logged into.
- Remove: verified immediate family can request removal with the person’s birth certificate, death certificate, or proof of authority as their legal representative.
Google (Gmail, YouTube, Photos, Drive)
- Google’s deceased-user request lets immediate family and representatives ask to close the account, request funds or obtain data.
- Order matters: once you ask Google to close the account, it can no longer process a request for its contents. Ask for the data first and wait for it to finish.
- Google reviews every request individually, releases content only in certain circumstances, and never provides passwords.
- If the person set up Inactive Account Manager, up to 10 trusted contacts may already receive data after a period of inactivity.
Plan for your own accounts
- Choose a legacy contact in Facebook’s memorialization settings.
- Set up Google’s Inactive Account Manager and pick who receives which data.
- Keep a list of your important accounts and where 2FA backup codes are stored, with your will or a trusted person.
What we do — and don’t
We never log in to another person’s account, living or deceased. Families come to us when a request is stuck — wrong documents, an impostor account using the person’s photos, a hacked profile posting spam. We help prepare the right request for the official form; see our Facebook account recovery service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get my late parent’s Facebook password?
No. Facebook, Instagram and Google all state they will not provide login details for a deceased person’s account.
Who can ask to remove a Facebook profile?
Immediate family or the executor, with documentation. If the person named a legacy contact, only the legacy contact can request removal.
What happens to a memorialized Instagram account?
It stays visible to the audience it was shared with, can’t be changed, and doesn’t appear in public spaces such as Explore.
Should I close the Google account straight away?
Not if you want any of the data. Request the data first; Google can’t process a data request after the account is closed.
Sources: Facebook Help — what happens to your account if you pass away, Facebook — special request for a deceased or incapacitated person, Instagram Help — report a deceased person’s profile, Google Account Help — request regarding a deceased user, Google Account Help — Inactive Account Manager