What Happens to Your Facebook When You're Gone?
- Paula Rice
- Jun 5
- 3 min read
Let’s be honest. Most of us don’t think twice about what happens to our Facebook account after we're gone. We scroll, post, share old photos, and leave comments, but we rarely stop and ask, “Who’s going to manage this if I’m not here anymore?”
Facebook isn’t just for memories. It’s often the place where your life shows up the most: birthdays, family vacations, life updates, and even memorial posts. That makes it a real part of your digital life.
Personal Facebook Accounts
When someone passes away, their Facebook account doesn’t automatically close. If no one has access or instructions, the account just sits there. That can be confusing or even painful for family and friends. It can also be a target for hackers.
There are two choices available:
Memorialize the account. This turns it into a space where people can visit and remember the person, but no one can log in.
Request deletion. This removes the account completely, but Facebook requires legal proof.
You need to set this up while you're still here. That includes choosing a Legacy Contact, someone you trust to manage certain things for your profile.
Helpful Facebook links:
A Legacy Contact can:
Pin a post
Update your profile photo and cover photo
Download a copy of your Facebook content if you allow it
A Legacy Contact cannot:
Log into your account
Read private messages
Remove old posts
If no legacy contact is set:
Facebook may still allow you to request memorialization or deletion, but you will need to provide documents such as:
A death certificate
Proof that you are an immediate family member or executor (example: obituary, power of attorney, or legal documentation showing authority)
The more information you have ready, the easier the process will be.
Want to download your Facebook content?
Here’s how: Download your information
Business Facebook Pages
If you manage a Facebook Page for a business, blog, or personal brand, the risk is higher. Pages can hold valuable content, ads, and ongoing community engagement.
If you are the only admin on the page and something happens to you, that page could be locked for good.
Here’s what you can do:
Add another trusted admin to the page
Go to your Page Settings and check Page Roles
Include page login and access instructions in your digital estate worksheet
Helpful link:
If your page brings in income or supports a business, make this part of your overall continuity plan.
Action Checklist
Add a Legacy Contact
Choose if your account should be deleted or memorialized
Add a second admin to any business pages
Document your wishes in your digital estate plan
Your Facebook account is part of your story. Whether it’s full of family photos or tied to your business, it should be handled with care.
Setting things up now makes it easier for the people you care about later. You decide what happens next. That’s what digital estate planning is all about.
Want help organizing the rest of your digital life?
Check out the book Digital Asset Estate Planning by Paula Rice to get step-by-step tools, templates, and real stories that make this process simple and doable. Or book time to work through your personalized digital estate plan together. One step at a time is all it takes.
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