What happens to an Instagram account when someone dies, and how to memorialise or remove it.
Can you plan ahead?
No separate legacy-contact tool, as Instagram is owned by Meta. You can plan ahead only by recording the login and wishes.
Digital assets
Instagram: what happens when someone dies
What happens to an Instagram account when someone dies, and how to memorialise or remove it.
What a family member can do after a death
A family member can request the account is memorialised, which adds ‘Remembering’ by the name, or removed. Request it through Instagram’s Help Centre with proof of death such as a death certificate or obituary. There is no login access to a memorialised account.
Frequently asked questions
Can we download the photos first?
Only if you can log in. Otherwise Instagram will not hand over the content, so memorialisation is often the way to keep the posts visible.
Sources
- Instagram official help page: https://help.instagram.com/264154560391256
- FamilySafe guide: what happens to online accounts when someone dies
Last reviewed June 2026. Platform processes change, so please confirm on the Instagram help page before acting. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Access notes.
Owned by Meta; no separate legacy-contact tool. Request memorialisation ('Remembering') or removal via the Help Centre with proof of death. No login access. Immediate family can ask for permanent deletion with proof.
Sources.
- Instagram help page - https://help.instagram.com/264154560391256
- Death Notification Service - https://www.deathnotificationservice.co.uk/
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