Most people give a great deal of thought to what will happen to their physical possessions after they die. The house, the savings, the personal belongings. What far fewer people consider is what will happen to their digital life. In 2026, the average person in the UK has dozens of online accounts spanning social media platforms, email providers, streaming services, cloud storage, online banking, and more. When that person dies, all those accounts continue to exist. 

For families navigating bereavement, the digital estate of a loved one can be one of the most practically and emotionally complex aspects of the aftermath. This article explains what happens to the most common types of online accounts after death, and what steps can be taken now to make the process easier for the people you leave behind. 

Social Media Accounts 

Social media platforms each have their own policies for handling accounts after a user's death, and they vary considerably. 

Facebook allows accounts to be either memorialized or permanently removed. A memorialized account is preserved as a place where friends and family can share memories, but no one can log into it. To request memorialization or removal, a family member must submit proof of death to Facebook. Alternatively, users can designate a Legacy Contact in their account settings, who is permitted to manage certain aspects of the memorialized profile on their behalf. 

Instagram operates under a similar policy to Facebook, offering memorialization or account removal upon request from a family member with verified proof of death. 

X (formerly Twitter) will deactivate and delete an account upon request from an authorized person such as a family member or estate executor, provided proof of death and proof of their own identity are submitted. 

LinkedIn will remove the profile of a deceased member upon request from a family member or colleague and also offers a memorialization option. 

The key point across all platforms is that without a nominated contact or a documented record of login credentials, families may face a lengthy verification process before any action can be taken. 

Email Accounts 

Email accounts present a particular challenge for bereaved families, because they often contain important correspondence, financial records, and personal communications that may be needed during the administration of the estate. 

Gmail accounts can be managed by a family member through Google's Inactive Account Manager, which allows users to specify what should happen to their account data after a period of inactivity. Users can designate a trusted contact who will be notified and given access. Without this setting in place, Google will consider requests from family members on a case-by-case basis, though access is not guaranteed. 

Microsoft and Outlook accounts can be closed by a family member upon submission of a death certificate, but Microsoft does not generally provide access to the account contents to third parties, even next of kin. The account and its contents will be deleted. 

Apple accounts are similarly difficult for families to access. Apple's policy is that accounts are non-transferable, and the contents are effectively inaccessible to anyone other than the account holder without advance planning. 

Without documented login details or designated account settings, families may be permanently unable to access the email and cloud storage accounts of a loved one. 

Streaming and Subscription Services 

Streaming and subscription services such as Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV do not memorialize accounts. They are simply commercial services tied to a payment method. When a person dies, their subscriptions will continue to charge the linked payment card or bank account until they are cancelled. 

For families, identifying and cancelling all active subscriptions is one of the most common and time-consuming tasks in the digital estate. Subscriptions are often set to auto-renew and can be easy to overlook, particularly for services that are billed annually rather than monthly. 

Practical steps to address this include reviewing bank statements for recurring charges, checking the App Store or Google Play Store for active subscriptions, and contacting individual providers directly to request cancellation upon notification of the account holder's death. 

Online Banking and Financial Accounts 

Online banking accounts should not be accessed by anyone other than the account holder or their legally authorized representative. Attempting to access a deceased person's bank account without authority could constitute a criminal offence. 

The correct process is to notify the bank of the death as soon as possible, providing a copy of the death certificate. The bank will then freeze the account pending probate or the production of the relevant legal authority. Most major UK banks are experienced at handling bereavement cases and will guide families through the process. 

PayPal, investment platforms, cryptocurrency wallets, and other online financial accounts should be handled in the same way. Cryptocurrency is particularly complex, as access to a wallet requires the private key or seed phrase, which is typically known only to the account holder. Without this information, the cryptocurrency may be permanently inaccessible. 

What You Can Do to Prepare 

The most effective way to protect your loved ones from the complexity of managing your digital estate is to plan. The following steps are practical, achievable, and make an enormous difference to those who are left behind: 

• Create a secure digital inventory documenting all your online accounts, usernames, and passwords. Store this in a safe location that your executor or next of kin can access. 
• Designate Legacy Contacts or Inactive Account Managers on platforms that offer them, including Facebook and Google. 
• Include specific instructions about your digital accounts in your will, or in a letter of wishes stored alongside it. 
• Consider using a password manager that allows emergency access to be granted to a trusted individual. 
• Review your active subscriptions and ensure your executor is aware of any recurring payments that will need to be cancelled. 

None of these steps requires significant time or technical knowledge. What they do require is the willingness to think ahead, which is the same quality that underlies all good end-of-life planning. 

How The Farewell Guide Can Help 

At The Farewell Guide, we believe that planning ahead is one of the most thoughtful and practical things a person can do for their family. Our free funeral planning tool provides a secure space to record your wishes, compare funeral directors, and ensure that the people you love have everything they need when the time comes. 

Our support centre provides comprehensive guidance on every aspect of bereavement and end-of-life planning, including the practical steps that follow a death. Visit www.thefarewellguide.co.uk to find out more.