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How to Manage a Deceased Loved One’s Instagram Account

What happens to a loved one’s Instagram account after they die? See what options family and friends have for managing an Instagram account after someone dies.

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One could say that Instagram is a visual record of a person’s life. But what happens when a person’s life comes to an end? Can a loved one or next of kin access the Instagram account? Can you memorialize it like a Facebook account? 

After handling the immediate needs after a death, you may find yourself asking these questions. In this post, we’re going over what family members and friends can do to manage a loved one’s Instagram account after they die. 

Notifying Instagram of the Death 🪦

The first thing that needs to be done is to notify Instagram that your loved one has passed away. Anyone can notify Instagram, however, there will need to be documentation proving the death. Once the death has been verified the account can be memorialized or removed.

Memorializing the Instagram Account

Today people have more accounts than ever to manage, and for each one, you’ll need to verify the death. That’s the case for Instagram if you want to memorialize an account.  

An Instagram account can be memorialized by any friend or family member once Instagram verifies the request is valid. You can do that by producing an obituary or document that notes the death. It’s just one more reason to get a few extra death certificates to have on hand when you need them.

When an Instagram account is memorialized it’s essentially frozen so that it’s a place of remembrance. You can’t log in to the account (that’s against Instagram policies), and precautions are taken to secure the account. There’s no way to add photos or change the view settings. Whatever was posted on the account at the time of death will remain and will be viewable to those who previously had access. Comments on posts and followers/following can’t be altered either.

You can tell when an account has been memorialized because it will have the word “Remembering” by the person’s name. However, you won’t find memorialized accounts the same way you come across active accounts. Memorialized accounts don’t show up in Explore or search functions 🔍.

Removing an Instagram Account After a Loved One’s Death

Sometimes a family member would prefer that a deceased loved one’s Instagram account be removed entirely. Instagram gives you this option so long as you can verify you’re an immediate family member by producing a birth or death certificate for the deceased. You can also provide documentation that shows you are responsible for handling the deceased’s estate. The information must be submitted using a request for removal form

Carefully consider whether you want the Instagram account removed or memorialized. Once the account is removed there’s no way of getting the data back and restoring it.

The team at Green Cremation Texas can help families beyond providing eco-friendly alkaline hydrolysis and flame cremation services. We’re here to guide families through the end-of-life transition from arranging transport to acquiring original death certificates. It’s guidance that relieves the burden and stress every step of the way. 

Manage Other Accounts:

Getting Data Off of Facebook After a Death

Accessing a Deceased Loved One’s Apple Account

Marlaena Gonzales

Marlaena Gonzales

Funeral Director
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