Snapchat after a death: what a family can do

Start with the account itself

Snapchat accounts are tied to a phone number or email, and often to a password only the holder knew. Before you try anything, gather what you have: the username, the phone or email on the account, and any device that is still signed in. If a phone is still logged in, keep it charged and do not wipe it. A signed-in app is often the simplest way in.

If you cannot get in, Snapchat has a support route for families. You will usually need to show that the person has died, typically with a death certificate, and prove your connection to them. The exact documents and the form to use are on Snapchat's help pages, so read those before you send anything.

The three usual choices

Families generally want one of three things. You can ask Snapchat to memorialize the account, which keeps it in place as a way for friends to remember the person. You can ask to download the account's data, which gives you the chats, photos and other saved content. Or you can ask to close the account so it is removed.

Think about which one fits before you act. Memorializing keeps the account visible. Downloading gives you a copy of what was there. Closing removes it. You can often download first and decide about the rest later, so ask about that order on the help page.

What a download usually gives you

A data download is the account's own record of itself: the snaps and chats that were saved, the friends list, and account details. Snaps that were never saved may not be there, because Snapchat deletes a lot of content by design. Set your expectations from what the help page says the export includes.

Save the download somewhere the family can find it later, and tell the person handling the estate where it is. If several people want copies, agree on who holds the original.

What the holder can set up now

Snapchat does not work like a bank account with a named beneficiary. What you can do now is make the account easier for your family to handle:

• Write down your username and the phone number or email on the account, and keep that note with your other account details.
• Tell one person where that note lives and that Snapchat is on the list.
• Keep your login details in a place your family can reach, following the guidance in why not to share passwords.
• Decide in advance whether you would want the account memorialized or closed, and say so in writing.

If you use Snapchat to store photos you care about, copy the ones that matter somewhere else now. An account is not a photo album you can rely on.

If the person is alive but cannot manage the account

A long illness or a stroke can leave someone unable to log in or answer questions. In that case, the family is often trying to keep the account quiet rather than close it. You may be able to change the password from a signed-in device, or ask Snapchat what it needs in this situation. The company's help page will say what it can and cannot do.

If a paper like a power of attorney is in place, keep it handy, but remember that such papers usually end at death. Check the rule where you live.

Keep a record of what you did

Note the date you contacted Snapchat, what you asked for, and any reference number. If you download the data, note where you saved it. If the account is closed, note when. This saves the next family member from starting over.

Where this fits in your envelope

Snapchat is one line in a longer list. Put it with your other accounts so nobody has to guess. Our checklist can help you build that list, and how it works explains how the envelope is sealed and handed over. If you are reading this in the first days after a death, the first 48 hours guide may help you set the order of things.