What happens to Facebook and Instagram accounts when the owner dies?

Facebook and Instagram accounts do not automatically disappear when their owner dies. Once Meta is notified, it can memorialise or delete an account, depending on the owner’s settings and the request; memorialisation preserves visible posts while restricting access, so the choice affects how a person’s online presence is managed.

Adults can appoint a legacy contact on either platform or choose deletion after death in Accounts Centre. A contact can make limited profile changes and, if the owner enabled it, download shared content, but cannot log in, read private messages or post as the deceased. Requests to memorialise need supporting evidence, while deletion may require a death certificate and proof of family relationship or legal authority; private profiles retain their privacy settings.