There are several options for Facebook accounts upon the user’s death. You can notify Facebook if you’d like to have your account either deleted or memorialized upon your death. You can even designate a legacy contact to maintain your account after death. If you don’t notify Facebook ahead of time, a loved one can request that your page be memorialized or permanently deleted.

To Memorialize Accounts

Memorialized accounts maintain the content previously shared by the user, such as photos and posts. Depending on the privacy settings of the account, loved ones can continue to share memories, post condolences, and provide funeral information on the memorialized timeline. The word “Remembering” will be shown next to the person’s name on their profile.

An account will be memorialized for someone who has passed once a valid request is received and reviewed. The account will still be visible on Facebook, but the only person who can manage a memorialized account is a legacy contact selected by the account holder. If the account holder hasn’t selected a legacy contact, the account won’t be actively cared for by anyone after memorialization has been requested. However, if the account holder requested to have their account permanently deleted after they pass away, Facebook will remove their account once they are made aware that the user has passed away. You can use this form to request memorialization for a Facebook profile of a loved one.

To Delete Accounts

To remove your loved one’s account from Facebook due to death or medical incapacitation, you’ll need to provide documentation to confirm that you’re an immediate family member or executor of the account holder. In the case of a death, providing a scan or photo of your loved one’s death certificate is the fastest way for Facebook to process your request. If you don’t have your loved one’s death certificate, you’ll need to provide proof of authority and proof that your loved one has passed away. The information on the documentation you provide must match the information on your loved one’s account. You can use this form to request that a loved one’s account be deleted due to death or medical incapacity.

 To Provide Legacy Contacts

Facebook also allowed users to designate a legacy contact which is someone you elect to be responsible for the management of your Facebook account after it is memorialized. Legacy contacts can write a post for your profile to share a final message on your behalf or to provide information about a funeral service. The legacy contact can maintain your page and wall once it is memorialized; respond to new friend requests; update your profile picture and cover photo; and even download a copy of your Facebook data, should you choose to enable that feature. Facebook may add more capabilities for legacy contacts in the future.

Choosing your legacy contact is currently only available for your main profile and doesn’t apply to additional Facebook profiles. If you don’t choose to have your account permanently deleted, only your main profile will be memorialized once Facebook becomes aware of your passing.