# Memorialise or Remove a Facebook Account After a Death > How a Malaysian family can memorialise or remove a late loved one's Facebook account: the two requests, legacy contacts and the JPN documents Meta accepts. - URL: https://www.awarexone.com/research/facebook-memorialised-account-request - Author: Md Shariar Shanaz Shuvon, Founder & CEO, AwareXone - Published: 2026-09-29 - Topics: Facebook, Account recovery, Malaysia - Related service: Recovery hub: https://www.awarexone.com/all-types-of-social-media-problem-solutions ## Short answer Meta offers two choices. A family member or friend can ask for memorialisation, which keeps it as a Remembering profile, with proof of death. Immediate family or the executor can ask for removal, ideally with the JPN sijil kematian. First check whether your loved one chose a legacy contact or deletion after death, because Meta follows that choice. ## Summary - When someone passes away, Meta offers two choices for their Facebook account: memorialise it so it stays as a Remembering profile, or remove it completely. - A family member or friend can ask for memorialisation with proof of death, while removal is for immediate family or the executor, and a death certificate is the fastest document. - For a Malaysian family, the sijil kematian from JPN is the natural document, and the details on it must match what the Facebook profile shows. - Check first whether your loved one chose a legacy contact or asked for their account to be deleted after death, because Meta follows that choice. - Meta never gives out login details for someone else's account, so ignore anyone who offers to unlock or recover a late relative's password for a fee. - Only Meta decides each request, and it does not promise to release private messages or other content, even to close family. Someone you love has passed away, and their Facebook profile is still there. Birthday reminders still appear, friends keep tagging them, or you simply want the account looked after properly. Many Malaysian families search for this as "akaun Facebook arwah" and find the forms confusing at a hard time. The short answer: Meta gives you two choices. You can ask for the account to be memorialised, which keeps the profile as a place of remembrance and stops anyone logging in, or, as immediate family or the executor, you can ask for it to be removed. A death certificate is the document that makes either request simplest. This guide explains both choices, what a legacy contact can do, which Malaysian documents to prepare, and the few things worth deciding before you send anything. Take it at your own pace. Last checked: 29 September 2026. ## How Do You Memorialise or Remove a Late Family Member's Facebook Account? To memorialise the account, fill in Meta's [Memorialisation Request form](https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/651319028315841) with the person's profile, the date they passed away, a scan or photo of proof of death such as a death certificate or obituary, and your email address. To remove it, use Meta's [special request form](https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480) as an immediate family member or executor, with a scan of the death certificate. Before either, find out whether your loved one chose a legacy contact or asked for their account to be deleted after death, because Meta follows that wish. Meta will not give anyone the password, and nobody outside Meta, including AwareXone, can open the account for you. ## Memorialise or Remove: What Each Choice Means Both are gentle outcomes. The difference is whether the profile stays. Meta's page on [reporting a deceased person](https://www.facebook.com/help/150486848354038) says it memorialises an account when it receives a valid request, and that friends and family with the correct documents may request removal instead. *The two options Meta offers for a deceased person's Facebook account, based on Facebook Help Centre pages at the time of writing.* | | Memorialise | Remove | | --- | --- | --- | | What happens to the profile | It stays, with "Remembering" next to the name | The account and everything on it is taken off Facebook | | Who can ask | A family member or friend; Meta suggests others speak to the family first | An immediate family member or the executor; the legacy contact, if there is one | | What Meta asks for | Proof of death: death certificate, obituary, memorial card or similar | A death certificate, or one proof of authority plus one proof of death | | Can it be changed later | Only by a legacy contact, if one was chosen | No, removal is permanent | If you are unsure, memorialisation is the gentler first step. It keeps photos and posts where friends can still see them, and a legacy contact can still ask for removal later. ## What a Memorialised "Remembering" Profile Looks Like Meta's page [about memorialised accounts](https://www.facebook.com/help/1017717331640041) describes what changes once the request is accepted: - The word "Remembering" appears next to the person's name. - Photos and posts they shared stay on Facebook, visible to the same audience as before. - Depending on privacy settings, friends can share memories on the profile. - The profile stops appearing in People You May Know, ads and birthday reminders. - Nobody can log in to the account. - Without a legacy contact, the profile cannot be changed at all. ## Did Your Loved One Leave Instructions? Facebook lets people decide in advance. Meta's page on [what happens to your profile if you pass away](https://www.facebook.com/help/103897939701143) describes two settings a person can choose in Accounts Center, under "Memorialisation": - "Memorialise account" with a legacy contact: one Facebook friend they trusted to look after the profile. - "Delete after death": Meta removes the account immediately and completely once it receives proof of death. If they chose deletion, Meta's memorialisation form says it will remove the account once it learns of the death, even if you asked for memorialisation. If they chose a legacy contact, the special request form says only that person can request removal. So it helps to ask close friends and family whether anyone was told they are the legacy contact. Meta notifies the legacy contact when the profile is memorialised, according to its page on [adding a legacy contact](https://www.facebook.com/help/1070665206293088). ## What a Legacy Contact Can and Cannot Do A legacy contact looks after a memorialised profile. They do not take it over. Meta's pages on [legacy contacts](https://www.facebook.com/help/1506822589577997) and [what a legacy contact can do](https://www.facebook.com/help/1568013990080948) list the limits clearly. *Legacy contact permissions as listed on Facebook Help Centre pages at the time of writing.* | A legacy contact can | A legacy contact cannot | | --- | --- | | Write a pinned post, for example about the funeral or tahlil | Log in to the account | | Change the profile picture and cover photo | Read private messages | | Respond to new friend requests | Remove friends or send new friend requests | | Request removal of the account at any time | Remove or edit past posts | | Download a copy of what was shared, if the person allowed it | Download anything the person did not allow | Meta says a person must be 18 or over to choose a legacy contact, and the setting applies only to their main profile, not to additional profiles. ## How to Request Memorialisation Anyone who knew the person can send this request, but Meta's form reminds friends that memorialisation is a big decision and suggests speaking to the family first. 1. Open Meta's [Memorialisation Request form](https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/651319028315841) from your own device. 2. Under "Who passed away?", search for the profile. If it does not appear, the form points you to the special request form instead. 3. Enter the date they passed away. Meta says an approximate date is fine if you do not know it exactly. 4. Upload a scan or photo of proof of death. Meta accepts an obituary, death certificate, memorial card or other documentation, and a screenshot if the notice is online. 5. Give an email address you check, so Meta can contact you, then select "Send". ## How to Request Removal Removal is for immediate family and the executor. Meta's [removal page](https://www.facebook.com/help/1518259735093203) says the fastest way is a scan or photo of the death certificate. Without one, it asks for one document from each list below. - Proof of authority: power of attorney, a birth certificate (when the person was a minor), a last will and testament, or an estate letter. - Proof of death: an obituary or a memorial card. 1. Check whether there is a legacy contact. If there is, only they can request removal. 2. Open Meta's [special request form](https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480) and choose removal. 3. Add the profile URL and, if you know it, the email address that may have been used to create the account. 4. Upload the death certificate. The form itself asks for one for removal, so have it ready even though the help page lists alternatives. 5. Cover any personal details Meta does not need, then submit and watch your inbox, including spam. > Note: **Removal cannot be undone.** Meta describes deleting a deceased person's account as immediate and permanent, taking messages, photos, posts and comments with it. If any family member may want those photos, save what you can already see before you ask for removal. ## Which Documents Work for a Malaysian Family? Meta's lists were written with no particular country in mind. For most Malaysian families, the answer is simpler: the sijil kematian (death certificate) issued by the National Registration Department, JPN. *Malaysian documents mapped to Meta's requirements. Meta decides what it accepts in each case.* | Document | What it proves to Meta | Where it comes from | | --- | --- | --- | | Sijil kematian | Proof of death, and the fastest route for removal | JPN, after the death is registered; JPN lists parents, spouse, children, siblings and the informant as able to collect it | | Cabutan daftar kematian (extract of the death register) | Proof of death when the certificate is not to hand | JPN, applied for in person by eligible relatives with form JPN.LM13 (Peninsular), N2 (Sabah) or XI (Sarawak) | | Obituary or funeral notice | Proof of death for memorialisation | A newspaper notice, a mosque, church or temple notice, or an online notice as a screenshot | | Will, grant of probate or letters of administration | Proof of authority as executor or administrator | The family's lawyer or the estate paperwork | JPN's page on [normal death registration](https://www.jpn.gov.my/perkhidmatan/kematian/pendaftaran-biasa-kematian-semenanjung/) explains that the hospital, police or DBKL confirms the death and issues the burial permit, and the family collects the certificate at JPN. If the certificate has been lost or is with another relative, JPN's page on the [search and extract of the death register](https://www.jpn.gov.my/perkhidmatan/kematian/carian-cabutan-daftar-kematian-semenanjung/) lists who may apply. Deaths abroad and in Sabah or Sarawak have their own processes on JPN's [death services page](https://www.jpn.gov.my/perkhidmatan/kematian/). ## A Short Checklist Before You Submit - The profile link, copied from the browser or the app's share option. - The date of death, or an approximate one. - A clear photo or scan of the sijil kematian. - Any note that links the certificate name to the profile name, if the profile used a nickname. - Proof of authority, only if you are asking for removal without a death certificate. - An email address you will check over the coming weeks. Meta says the details on your documents must match the account. Many Malaysians use a short name or nickname on Facebook, so the match is not always obvious. Meta's pages do not explain how it handles that, so the special request form, which has room for the profile URL and the sign-up email, is the better place to explain. Meta also suggests covering personal information it does not need. On a Malaysian certificate, you may want to cover details such as the MyKad number or home address, while keeping the name and date of death readable. ## Pages, Groups and Photos: Decide Before You Send Memorialisation has effects beyond the profile. Meta says a Page whose only admin is memorialised will be removed once a valid request arrives, and a group whose only admin is memorialised will be paused. - If your loved one ran a shop, community or family business Page alone, speak to the people who rely on it first. Meta's help pages do not describe a way to hand that Page to a relative. - If they were the only admin of a group, let its members know it will be paused, so nobody is surprised. - Save public photos and posts you would like to keep. A legacy contact can download a copy only if your loved one turned that on. Private messages and other content are harder. Meta's page on [requesting content from a deceased person's account](https://www.facebook.com/help/123355624495297) says it considers such requests only in rare cases, needs proof that you are an authorised representative plus a court order, and does not promise to provide anything. It also memorialises the account once it receives that request. ## What About Instagram? Instagram has a similar process. Its page on [reporting a deceased person's profile](https://help.instagram.com/264154560391256) says anyone can request memorialisation with proof of death, such as a link to an obituary or news article, and that verified immediate family can request removal with a birth certificate, death certificate or proof of legal authority. Each platform is a separate request, so memorialising Facebook does not change Instagram. ## Mistakes That Slow a Request Down - Trying to log in to the account. Meta says it is always against its policies to log in to another person's account, even after a death. - Uploading a blurred or cropped certificate that shows a name Meta cannot match to the profile. - Asking for removal when a legacy contact exists. Only that person can request it. - Using the hacked account route. Meta's special request form says that route is for accounts of people who are still alive. > Warning: **Nobody can sell you the password.** Meta says it cannot provide login information for someone else's account, even after a death. Messages offering to unlock or recover a late relative's account, in English, Bahasa Malaysia or Chinese, are scams. Never send anyone a login code, a password or a copy of your own MyKad because they promise access. ## If Someone Is Using the Account, or You Already Paid Sometimes a late relative's account starts sending strange messages, often asking friends for money. That usually means someone else has got in. Meta says memorialisation keeps an account secure by preventing anyone from logging in, so a memorialisation request is a sensible step. Warn friends through your own profile, and our guide on [what to do when a hacked account messages your friends](https://www.awarexone.com/research/hacked-account-messaging-friends) explains what to tell them. If you paid someone who promised access, or shared a code, the NSRC's [FAQ on the NFCC website](https://nfcc.jpm.gov.my/index.php/en/about-nsrc) says to contact your bank's 24-hour hotline or the NSRC on 997 straight away, then make a police report at the nearest station within 24 hours. It adds that NSRC, PDRM, MCMC, BNM and banks never ask for your password, PIN, TAC or OTP. A fake Meta page or phishing link can be reported to CyberSecurity Malaysia's [Cyber999](https://www.cybersecurity.my/portal-main/services/cyber999-overview) service. Our explainer on [fake Meta support messages](https://www.awarexone.com/research/fake-meta-support-scam-malaysia) shows the scripts these people use. ## When a Family Might Want Help With the Forms Most families can finish this alone with the steps above, and Meta makes every decision. Some would rather hand the paperwork to someone, for example when a business Page was involved or relatives are unsure which form fits. SocialSafe by AwareXone, our recovery service, can look at the situation first and help prepare a clear request through Meta's own forms; it cannot open the account or change what Meta decides. You can start from our [recovery hub](https://www.awarexone.com/all-types-of-social-media-problem-solutions), and our [Trust Center](https://www.awarexone.com/trust) explains that we never ask for passwords or codes. For a living person's account, our [Facebook recovery guide](https://www.awarexone.com/research/facebook-account-recovery-malaysia) is the better place to begin. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How long does Facebook take to memorialise an account? Meta does not publish a timeframe on the help pages we read. Keep an eye on the email address you gave, including the spam folder. ### Can I get my late father's Facebook password from Meta? No. Meta says it cannot provide login information for someone else's account under any circumstances, and logging in as another person breaks its policies. ### Can a memorialised Facebook account be deleted later? Yes, if there is a legacy contact, because Meta lets them request removal at any time. Without a legacy contact, immediate family or the executor can use the special request form with the death certificate. ### What if my family member is alive but can no longer manage their account? Meta's special request form also covers people who are medically incapacitated. It asks for proof of guardianship, such as a power of attorney or court order, and a note from a doctor or medical facility. ## Official sources - [Facebook Help Centre: Reporting a deceased person or an account that needs to be memorialised (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/150486848354038) - [Facebook Help Centre: Request removal of a deceased family member's account (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/1518259735093203) - [Facebook Help Centre: About memorialised accounts (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/1017717331640041) - [Facebook Help Centre: What happens to your Facebook profile if you pass away (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/103897939701143) - [Facebook Help Centre: About legacy contacts on Facebook (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/1568013990080948) - [Facebook Help Centre: Legacy contacts (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/1506822589577997) - [Facebook Help Centre: Add, change or remove your legacy contact (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/1070665206293088) - [Facebook Help Centre: Request to memorialise or remove an account (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/1111566045566400) - [Facebook Help Centre: Request content from a deceased person's account (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/123355624495297) - [Facebook: Memorialisation Request form (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/651319028315841) - [Facebook: Special request for a medically incapacitated or deceased person's account (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480) - [Instagram Help Centre: Report a deceased person's profile (read 29 September 2026)](https://help.instagram.com/264154560391256) - [JPN: Kematian, death services (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.jpn.gov.my/perkhidmatan/kematian/) - [JPN: Pendaftaran Biasa Kematian, Semenanjung (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.jpn.gov.my/perkhidmatan/kematian/pendaftaran-biasa-kematian-semenanjung/) - [JPN: Carian / Cabutan Daftar Kematian, Semenanjung (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.jpn.gov.my/perkhidmatan/kematian/carian-cabutan-daftar-kematian-semenanjung/) - [NFCC: National Scam Response Centre FAQ (read 29 September 2026)](https://nfcc.jpm.gov.my/index.php/en/about-nsrc) - [CyberSecurity Malaysia: Cyber999 Cyber Incident Response Center (read 29 September 2026)](https://www.cybersecurity.my/portal-main/services/cyber999-overview) --- AwareXone is an independent Malaysia-based provider, not affiliated with any platform. The platform makes the final decision on every account. AwareXone never asks for passwords, OTP codes, backup codes or session cookies.