What to do first
If it’s your own account, set a legacy contact now. If you’re handling a loved one’s account, find out whether they chose a legacy contact or asked for deletion, and gather proof of death such as an obituary or news link.
Step 1: Choose a legacy contact
Go to Settings, then Accounts Center, then Personal details and Account ownership and control, then Memorialization. You can choose a friend or family member, and you can allow them to download an archive of what you shared. You can also ask for your account to be deleted instead.
Step 2: What a legacy contact can do
According to Facebook’s help pages, a legacy contact can pin a post on the memorial profile, update the profile and cover photos, respond to new friend requests, and download an archive if you allowed that. They can also ask for the account to be removed. They can’t log in as you, read your messages, remove friends or change past posts.
Step 3: Request memorialization
Anyone can use Facebook’s memorialization request form with proof of death. Once approved, the word “Remembering” appears next to the name, and the profile’s existing content stays with the audience it was shared with. Memorializing also helps avoid birthday reminders and suggestions that can upset family.
Step 4: Request removal
Verified immediate family or an authorised representative can ask Facebook to remove the account, with documents showing the relationship or authority. Read the form for what’s needed in your country.
Talking with family before you decide
Memorial or deletion is a personal decision, and families sometimes disagree. A memorialized profile can be a place for friends to share memories. For others, seeing the account is painful. If you’re setting up your own preference, tell your family which you chose and why, and tell the legacy contact so it doesn’t come as a surprise.
Think about what’s in the account too. Photos and messages may matter to relatives, so decide whether your legacy contact should be allowed to download an archive. If you don’t allow it, that content isn’t available to them later.
What not to do
- Don’t log in with a known password. It breaks Facebook’s terms and can lock the account.
- Don’t pay anyone who claims they can “unlock” a deceased person’s account.
- Don’t keep submitting forms. Meta doesn’t publish a timeline.
Official sources
Meta and Snap update their help pages and flows often. Always follow the wording on your own screen and the current official Help Center. Unbanz is an independent service and is not affiliated with Meta, Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat.