Can I log in to my husband's Facebook after he died?

No. Meta won't give out login details for someone else's account, and it says logging in to another person's account is against its policies.

Who can ask Facebook to memorialize an account?

Anyone can send the request. Facebook memorializes the profile once it confirms the death.

Can I get photos or messages from a dead person's Facebook account?

Rarely. Facebook considers requests for account content only with proof that you are an authorized representative and a court order, and it doesn't promise to provide anything.

Will Facebook still send birthday reminders for a memorialized account?

No. Memorialized profiles don't appear in birthday reminders, ads or People You May Know.

What happens to…

What happens to Facebook and Instagram when someone dies?

Nothing changes until someone tells Meta about the death. Then Facebook usually memorializes the profile: it stays up with "Remembering" next to the name, and no one can log in. Immediate family or the executor can ask Facebook to remove the account instead. Instagram works the same way, with removal limited to verified immediate family.

Last checked October 14, 2026.

Quick facts

Facebook memorializes a profile once it confirms the death, and no one can log in to a memorialized profile (Meta, as of 2026).
Immediate family or the executor can ask Facebook to remove a deceased person's account (Meta, as of 2026).
A Facebook legacy contact can't log in, read messages or remove friends (Meta, as of 2026).
Only verified immediate family can ask Instagram to remove a deceased person's profile (Instagram, as of 2026).

What is a memorialized Facebook account?

It is a profile kept as a place for friends and family to share memories. Facebook shows the word "Remembering" next to the person's name. Posts and photos the person shared stay visible to the same audience as before.

No one can log in to a memorialized profile. It no longer shows up in birthday reminders, ads or People You May Know. Unless the person chose a legacy contact, nobody can change it.

How do you close a Facebook account of a deceased person?

Use Facebook's form to request removal of a deceased family member's account. You need to be immediate family or the executor.
Attach a scan or photo of the death certificate. Facebook says this is the fastest way.
If you don't have the death certificate, send two things instead. One is proof of authority, such as a power of attorney, the will, an estate letter, or a birth certificate if the person was a minor. The other is proof of death, such as an obituary or a memorial card.
Cover up personal details Facebook doesn't need, such as the Social Security number. The details you send must match the account.

What can a Facebook legacy contact do?

A legacy contact is someone the person chose, while alive, to look after their profile once it is memorialized. They can write a pinned post, update the profile picture and cover photo, and request removal of the account. They can download a copy of what the person shared if the person turned that feature on.

A legacy contact can't log in, read messages, or remove friends.

How do you memorialize or remove an Instagram account?

Anyone can ask Instagram to memorialize a profile. Instagram asks for proof of death, such as a link to an obituary or news article.

Only verified immediate family can ask for the profile to be removed. Instagram asks for proof, such as the person's birth certificate or death certificate. Proof under local law that you are the legal representative of the person or their estate also works.

Questions people ask

Can I log in to my husband's Facebook after he died?: No. Meta won't give out login details for someone else's account, and it says logging in to another person's account is against its policies.
Who can ask Facebook to memorialize an account?: Anyone can send the request. Facebook memorializes the profile once it confirms the death.
Can I get photos or messages from a dead person's Facebook account?: Rarely. Facebook considers requests for account content only with proof that you are an authorized representative and a court order, and it doesn't promise to provide anything.