Most of us have a digital footprint that's broader and stranger than our paper one - photos, messages, banking, shopping, music libraries, social profiles, gaming accounts, two-factor codes scattered across phones and apps.
When someone dies, that footprint doesn't simply disappear, and family members frequently can't access it. This article walks through what happens to social media accounts and online services after death in the UK in 2026, and what you can do now to make it easier for your executors.
The legal position: terms of service vs. estate law
Online accounts sit in an awkward gap between contract law (the platform's terms of service) and estate law (your will). Most platforms' terms say you have a personal, non-transferable licence to use the service - so the account isn't really an "asset" you can leave to someone in the way a bank account is.
But platforms have all developed processes for accounts of deceased users, ranging from straightforward (Facebook memorialisation) to genuinely difficult (some smaller services).
The major platforms - what's possible
Facebook and Instagram (Meta)
You have two options for your account before you die:
- Memorialisation - the account is preserved as a memorial, friends can post tributes, and "Remembering" appears next to the name.
- Deletion - the account is permanently removed.
You can choose in advance by setting a Legacy Contact in Facebook's settings. The Legacy Contact can manage tribute posts, change the profile picture, and respond to friend requests, but cannot read your messages or log in as you.
For Instagram, accounts can be memorialised or removed by family request.
Google (Gmail, YouTube, Drive, Photos)
Google's Inactive Account Manager lets you specify what happens if your account is inactive for a chosen period (3-18 months):
- Notify chosen contacts.
- Share specific data (e.g. emails or photos) with chosen contacts.
- Delete the account automatically.
Without it, family members can apply for access to a deceased user's data, but the bar is high - Google requires a death certificate, evidence of the relationship, and (for content access) often a court order.
Apple (iCloud, App Store, photos)
Apple introduced Legacy Contacts in iOS 15.2. You add a contact in Apple ID settings, and they receive an access key. After your death they can request access to your iCloud data (photos, notes, files) by providing the key and a death certificate.
Without a Legacy Contact, an Apple account is essentially closed on death and the data inaccessible without a court order.
Microsoft (Outlook, OneDrive, Xbox)
Microsoft does not currently offer a legacy contact mechanism. After death, family members can request closure of the account but content recovery is limited and requires legal documentation.
A connection or family member can request to memorialise or close the account by providing the name, profile URL, date of death and relationship.
X (Twitter)
X allows authorised family members to request deactivation of an account (full removal). It does not allow third-party access to the account's content.
TikTok
TikTok offers account memorialisation and deletion on family request.
Online banking and financial services
Online banks treat the account exactly like a traditional bank account: the executors apply for closure with a death certificate and Grant of Probate (if applicable). The online element doesn't change the legal process.
What about subscriptions?
Subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify, gym apps, monthly magazines) don't pause themselves. They keep billing the deceased's bank account or card until the executor cancels them. Cancellation can take weeks because the executor often doesn't know what subscriptions exist.
Practical fix: keep a list of recurring subscriptions in your digital legacy plan (see below) and update it annually.
Cryptocurrency and online wallets
These deserve a separate guide - see our crypto and digital assets article. The short version: if your private keys aren't recoverable, the asset is permanently lost. There is no "forgot password" path. Many millions of pounds of crypto are believed to be permanently inaccessible because the owner died without leaving recovery instructions.
What to put in place now
A working digital legacy plan has four parts:
1. An asset list
A list of every account that matters - financial, communication, content storage, subscriptions. Update it once a year. Don't include passwords directly; reference where they're held (a password manager, a sealed envelope with a solicitor).
2. Password manager with a recovery contact
Most password managers (1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass, Apple Keychain) have an emergency or legacy contact feature. Set one up. Without it, even the right person can't get in.
3. Platform-specific legacy settings
Facebook Legacy Contact. Apple Legacy Contact. Google Inactive Account Manager. Each takes about 5 minutes. Do them on a quiet Sunday.
4. A reference in your will
Don't paste passwords into your will - it becomes a public document at probate. Instead, refer to the digital asset list stored elsewhere. Trusted Hands' Digital Vault is purpose-built for this; an alternative is a sealed letter held with the will at a solicitor.
For complex estates, we recommend you seek assistance from a Trusted Hands Advisor or your own legal advice.
What to think about for the people you leave behind
A few small choices that make a big difference:
- Decide whether you want your social profiles memorialised or removed. Tell your Legacy Contact. Either is fine; it's the surprise that hurts.
- Identify any work or business accounts that need to be handed over rather than closed.
- Don't forget cloud photos. Family photos are often the single most-asked-for digital legacy. iCloud Photos and Google Photos can be substantial archives.
- Your phone is the master key. Make sure the unlock PIN/biometrics are recorded somewhere your executor can access.
- Two-factor authentication is a problem if the second factor is your phone and the phone is locked. A password manager that stores 2FA codes plus a recovery contact is the easiest fix.
> Ready to start your will? Trusted Hands turns these decisions into a 15-30 minute guided builder. Start free → — only pay when you download.
Frequently asked questions
Will my Facebook account be deleted automatically when I die?
No. Facebook accounts persist indefinitely unless someone actively memorialises or removes them. If you want a specific outcome, set a Legacy Contact (memorialise) or include "delete on death" instructions for your Legacy Contact.
Can my family read my emails after I die?
Generally no, without specific advance permission. Google's Inactive Account Manager can grant access to chosen contacts; Apple's Legacy Contact can request access. Without these, family typically need a court order to access content - which may not be granted.
What happens to my Amazon Kindle / Audible / Apple Music library?
You hold a personal licence to the content, not ownership. Most platforms do not currently allow library transfer on death; the licence ends with the user. There are workarounds (sharing accounts within a family) but no formal inheritance route.
Do I need to mention digital assets in my will?
You should reference where the digital asset list is held, but don't include passwords or sensitive details directly - the will becomes part of the public probate record. A reference to a password manager, the Trusted Hands Digital Vault, or a sealed letter is the standard approach.
What's a "digital executor"?
An informal term for someone you appoint to handle your digital affairs. UK law doesn't have a formal "digital executor" role - the actual executor named in the will is responsible for the whole estate, digital and physical. You can ask a tech-comfortable executor to take the lead on digital matters, or appoint a separate person as a non-legal "digital executor" alongside the formal executor.
Don't make your executors hunt for your accounts. Start your will and use Trusted Hands' Digital Vault to keep an encrypted, executor-shared list of digital assets up to date.
Ready to write your will?
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