How to memorialize a Facebook account

After someone has passed, figuring out what to do with their social media accounts can be both difficult and painful. We’ve put together a guide on how to post on social media about a death, but what if you have to take care of their accounts yourself? Below is a guide on how to turn one of those accounts, on Facebook, into a memorial page that both protects their identity and honors their memory.

If you would like to request that an account be memorialized, begin by using the Facebook Memorialization Request form, which can be found here. Once an account is memorialized, friends and family will continue to post their memories and stories on the page, depending on privacy settings. Some of the immediate benefits of a memorial page include that the person won’t show up in ads, birthday reminders, or “people you may know.” After memorialization, “remembering” will be displayed on the person's profile.

Other benefits of having a memorialized account page include keeping the account secure by preventing others from logging on. Though the account will be visible on Facebook, only the legacy contact can make changes to a memorialized account.

Determining the legacy contact for an account is an important step. A legacy contact is the person in charge of looking after a memorialized account. This individual enjoys the following options:

  • respond to friend requests

  • create a memorial post

  • pin posts to the top of a profile

  • ensure that the profile and cover photo are respectful for a memorial wall

  • download a copy of what has been shared on Facebook.

In a way, they are like the executor of the Facebook account.

In the event that an account holder has not selected a legacy contact, the account will not be actively cared for. (For more on appointing a digital executor, click here.)

Note: If the account holder requested to have their account permanently deleted after a death, the account would be removed once Facebook was notified about their passing.

If you would like to set up a legacy contact for your Facebook account, you can go through the following steps or view the official Facebook help article:

  1. Click the dropdown arrow in the top right corner.

  2. Choose “settings”

  3. Choose “security” which is the second option in the left-hand sidebar.

  4. Open “security settings” page

  5. The second to last option on the “security settings” page is “legacy contact.”

  6. Choose to edit the “legacy contact” option.

  7. Type the name of a "friend" who you would want to be your legacy contact, in the “choose a friend” input box and add your account’s contact.

Some notes on setting a legacy contact:

  • The legacy contact won’t be notified until your account is memorialized, but you have the option to send them a message. 

  • The “security settings” page also has the option to delete your account after Facebook is notified of your passing. 

  • To select a legacy contact, one must be 18 years of age or older. 

Facebook memorial groups can also be created if your loved one opted to have their account deleted. 

  1. Click the option “create group” beneath the left sidebar “groups” of your Facebook account.

  2. A popup window will appear, giving the chance to name your group and add members or adjust privacy settings.

  3. Click the “create” button when finished, and Facebook will take you to the group.

  4. The group will have an icon to the top right where you can upload pictures, set a group email description, and tags.

  5. There is a secret option for groups so that they don’t appear in search results and can be seen only once a group member adds you.

  6. Invite friends and family to your loved one’s memorial group on Facebook.

Facebook says that if a family member or friend submits a request to memorialize an account, the account goes into a memorialized state unless the person has requested to have their account removed. Thus, it is important to remember that memorialization is a decision that has consequences. We recommend reaching out to family or close friends if you are considering requesting memorialization.

Beyond the benefits to identity safety, a Facebook memorial page can be a healthy opportunity for mourning the loss of a loved one, a pleasant place to visit and have someone be remembered fondly, with reverence and kindness.

For more on posting and commenting about a death on social media, please do visit our article, which provides some suggestions and tips.

— Jisu Lee

settling affairsJennifer Goodlegacy and funeral2 Comments