What happens to online accounts when someone dies

What legal framework covers digital accounts after death?

Most U.S. states have adopted a law called the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA)—a set of rules that tells executors and fiduciaries what they can access and when. Probate is state law, so the details vary by state, but the principle is nearly universal: you have a legal right to manage digital assets as part of settling the estate, and companies have a responsibility to work with you.

RUFADAA creates a three-level hierarchy. First, the deceased person's own account tools (a 'legacy contact' setting, a 'memorialization' request, a digital will within the platform itself) take priority—if they left instructions in the account, that's what the company follows. Second, if no account-level tool exists, an estate document like a will or power of attorney matters next. Third, if neither exists, the company's terms of service apply—and most big providers now have a standard process for executors.

You have a legal right to manage digital assets as part of settling the estate, and companies have a responsibility to work with you.

Do you need the password to access an account?

No. Logging in as the deceased person—even if you have the password—is generally not the right path, and some providers explicitly forbid it in their terms of service. Your legal standing comes from being the executor or fiduciary, not from knowing the password.

Instead, contact the provider directly as the executor. Most major platforms (Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon) have a dedicated process for this—usually a 'deceased person account' or 'memorialization' request form on their help pages. You'll need to prove your role (typically a death certificate and a copy of the will or letters testamentary—a court document confirming you're the executor). The company then verifies your identity and gives you access or follows the deceased person's wishes, depending on what's on file.

• Contact the provider directly; don't log in as the deceased person
• Gather a death certificate and proof of your executor status
• Look for the provider's 'deceased person' or 'legacy' help page—most have one

What are the main provider options: memorialize, delete, or download?

Most large platforms offer three paths, and the choice depends on what the deceased person would have wanted and what serves the estate best.

Memorialization (Facebook's term; Google calls it 'legacy contact,' Microsoft calls it 'legacy settings') keeps the account visible but read-only—friends can still see photos and posts, but no one can log in or change anything. This is often the gentlest option for social media and honors the person's digital presence without requiring deletion.

Deletion removes the account and its contents entirely, though some providers have a download-first option. Deletion is cleaner for email or banking accounts where privacy or security matters more than memory. Download (also called 'data export') lets you pull photos, messages, documents, and other files before deciding what to do with the account. This is preservation-first and often the wisest starting point if you're uncertain.

• Memorialize: keep the account visible, read-only, and honoring
• Delete: remove the account entirely (sometimes after download)
• Download: export files before deciding the account's fate

Download first if you're uncertain—it gives you a copy of everything before the account changes.

How do you find and notify the major providers?

Start with what you know: email, social media, banking, cloud storage, streaming services, and any work or professional accounts. If you have access to a device (phone, computer, tablet), check the browser history, saved passwords, or email forwarding settings—these often point to accounts.

For each account, search the provider's name plus 'deceased person' or 'legacy account' to find their help page. Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and most financial institutions have published, step-by-step processes. You'll typically submit a request form, upload the death certificate and proof of executor status, and wait for verification—commonly a few days to a couple of weeks.

If you can't find the account or the provider's process, contact their customer service line directly and ask for the 'executor' or 'estate' team. They exist at larger companies and know exactly what you need.

What about photos, documents, and files you want to keep?

Photos and documents stored in cloud services (Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud, Dropbox, etc.) should be downloaded and backed up to your own storage before you make any decisions about the account. Most providers allow you to download everything at once, and it's free.

Once you have a copy, you can decide whether to delete the account, leave it dormant, or keep it active for long-term storage. If the estate includes valuable files (business records, financial documents, family photos), downloading first is not just sensible—it's essential. Your attorney can advise whether any digital files should be preserved as part of the official estate record.

• Download everything you want to keep before memorializing or deleting
• Check email, cloud storage, photo apps, and backup services
• Ask your attorney if any files should be preserved in the estate record

When should you involve a lawyer?

Most straightforward cases—social media accounts, personal email, consumer cloud storage—don't require legal help beyond what your executor role already gives you. The provider's process is designed to be executor-friendly.

Involve your attorney if the estate includes business accounts, sensitive financial data, intellectual property (writing, art, music), accounts with significant monetary value, or disputes among heirs about what should be deleted or preserved. Your attorney can also help if a provider refuses to cooperate or if the deceased person's account settings conflict with the will. State law varies, and a local attorney knows the rules in your jurisdiction.