What happens to your Facebook account after you die? 5 key facts

Your account doesn’t disappear automaticallyIf someone dies, Facebook keeps their account active until someone reports the death. Nothing happens by default. Once reported, Facebook either memorialises the account or deletes it — based on what you or your family decide.

You can choose a legacy contactFacebook lets you pick a “legacy contact” in your settings. This trusted person can manage parts of your memorialised account. They can update your profile picture, pin posts, and accept friend requests — but they cannot log in or see your private messages.

Memorialised accounts stay online with ‘Remembering’After memorialisation, your profile shows “Remembering” before your name. Friends can post tributes, and your photos and posts remain visible based on your privacy settings. This turns your profile into a space where people can share memories.

You can request account deletion after deathIf you don’t want your profile to stay online after death, Facebook allows you to request full deletion. You can set this in Settings → Memorialisation Settings, and your account will be permanently deleted once Facebook is notified of your passing.