Closing Accounts After a Loss
We are sorry. This page exists to make one part of a hard time a little easier — clear, free, US-focused steps for handling someone's digital accounts.
Before you do anything
- •Get at least 5 certified copies of the death certificate. You will need an original for almost every request.
- •Save photos and family videos out of every account first — accounts get closed, photos can be lost.
- •Take screenshots of recurring charges in case you need to dispute them later.
- •This guide is general information — for legal advice, talk to a probate attorney in your state.
Apple ID (iPhone, iPad, iCloud)
Apple has a "Legacy Contact" feature. If your loved one set you as a Legacy Contact in advance, you can request access right away. Otherwise, you will need a court order.
Step by step
- 1If they pre-named a Legacy Contact: Settings → your name → Sign-In & Security → Legacy Contact (look for the access key).
- 2Visit Apple's Digital Legacy page and follow the request form.
- 3You will need: the access key (if any), the death certificate, and the deceased's Apple ID email.
- 4No legacy contact set up? You will need a court order naming you as the personal representative.
Google (Gmail, YouTube, Photos)
Google's "Inactive Account Manager" lets people set what happens after months of inactivity. After death, family can request data access or account closure.
Step by step
- 1Go to Google's "Submit a request regarding a deceased user's account" form.
- 2Choose between: closing the account, getting funds (Google Pay), or requesting data.
- 3Required: scan of your government ID, the death certificate, and the deceased's email address.
- 4Google reviews each request manually — expect 2 to 6 weeks.
Facebook & Instagram (Meta)
A Facebook profile can be "memorialized" (kept up with "Remembering" before the name) or removed entirely. Instagram supports the same memorialization.
Step by step
- 1Go to facebook.com/help/contact/234739086860192 to memorialize the profile.
- 2Or go to facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480 to request removal.
- 3You will need: a link to their profile, proof of death, and proof you are an immediate family member.
- 4For Instagram: the same forms cover Instagram via Meta's help center.
Phone carrier (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile)
You can transfer the phone number to a survivor's account, suspend the line, or close it. Most carriers waive the early termination fee with a death certificate.
Step by step
- 1Call the carrier's customer service. Ask specifically for "the bereavement team" — most have one.
- 2Have ready: the deceased's account number or phone, your relationship, the death certificate.
- 3If you want to keep the number, ask to "port it" to your account in the same call.
- 4Ask for any final-bill credits — most carriers prorate the month and waive late fees.
Banks & credit cards
Joint accounts pass to the surviving owner automatically. Sole accounts become part of the estate and need probate paperwork. Subscriptions and recurring charges keep running until the account is closed.
Step by step
- 1Call each bank. Ask for the estate department — every major bank has one.
- 2Have ready: death certificate, your photo ID, account numbers, executor letter (if you have one).
- 3Ask the bank to print a list of all recurring charges in the last 12 months — this catches forgotten subscriptions.
- 4Cancel or transfer credit cards. Closed-card balances become part of the estate.
Photos worth saving
Before any account is closed, get the photos out. They are often the single most-regretted thing families lose.
Step by step
- 1Apple: use Apple's data download or copy iCloud photos to a hard drive while you still have the password.
- 2Google: takeout.google.com lets you download every photo in a single .zip.
- 3Facebook: facebook.com → Settings → "Your Information" → "Download Your Information".
- 4Save copies in two places — an external drive AND a family member's cloud account.
Subscriptions and recurring charges
Streaming, app store, gym, magazines — most keep charging until canceled. Worth a methodical sweep through the last 12 months of bank statements.
Step by step
- 1Pull the last 12 months of bank and credit card statements.
- 2Highlight every recurring charge — Netflix, Hulu, iCloud storage, Adobe, etc.
- 3Cancel each one by signing into the account directly (not by calling the bank — bank "stop payments" can leave the account open).
- 4When you cannot get into an account, ask the bank to refuse future charges from that merchant.
For your own family — set this up now, while you can.
Pick a Legacy Contact on your iPhone today. Set up Google Inactive Account Manager. Save your password manager backup somewhere two trusted people can reach. The hour you spend now saves your family weeks of paperwork later.
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