Facebook Legacy Contact: Set One Up for Your Account

A Facebook legacy contact is someone you choose to manage a limited set of your account’s features after Facebook is told you have died. You can select the person in your memorialization settings, decide whether they may download a copy of certain account information, and change or remove the contact later. You need access to your Facebook account and must choose someone who is eligible to be a Facebook friend.

What You’ll Need

A Facebook account you can sign in to.
The name of the person you want to choose. They generally need to be your Facebook friend; if they are not, add them first and wait until the friend request is accepted.
Optional: a decision about whether to allow the legacy contact to download a copy of your account information, if that setting is offered.

Step-by-Step

Sign in to Facebook. Use the account for which you want to set a legacy contact. If you manage multiple profiles or accounts, check that you are using the right one before changing settings.
Open Settings. On a computer, select your profile picture in the upper-right corner, then choose Settings & privacy and Settings. In the Facebook app, tap the menu button, then look for Settings & privacy and Settings. Labels and placement can differ by app version and region.
Find the memorialization controls. In Settings, look for Accounts Center, then Personal details and Account ownership and control. Open Memorialization or a similarly named option. If it is not there, use the settings search box and search for “memorialization” or “legacy contact.” Facebook changes its menus from time to time.
Choose the account. If Facebook asks which profile or account the memorialization setting applies to, select the correct one. Read the explanation on screen so you know what the choice means for that account.
Select a legacy contact. Choose the option to appoint a legacy contact, then search for the person by name and select their profile. Confirm that it is the correct person, especially if several people have similar names.
Review the available permissions. Facebook may offer a choice about whether the contact can download a copy of certain account information. This does not give them unrestricted access to your account. Review the current wording and select the option you want, if shown.
Confirm your choice. Follow the prompts to save or confirm the appointment. Facebook may offer to send the person a message telling them you selected them. Decide whether to send it, then complete the on-screen confirmation.
Verify the setting. Return to the memorialization settings and check that the intended person appears as your legacy contact. If the contact is not shown, repeat the process and make sure you completed the final confirmation.

Common Mistakes

Looking only in the wrong settings area. The setting may be under Accounts Center or memorialization rather than general profile settings. Menu names and locations can change.
Selecting a person with a similar name. Check the profile photo and other details before confirming. Do not assume the first search result is the right person.
Assuming a legacy contact gets your password or full account access. The role is limited. A legacy contact cannot sign in as you, read private messages, or make ordinary posts as you.
Forgetting the friend requirement. If the person does not appear in the search results, confirm whether they are your Facebook friend and whether you have the correct account selected.
Confusing a legacy contact with an account heir. The contact manages certain memorialized-profile features; the role does not transfer ownership of your account or settle legal or estate matters.
Leaving the choice unconfirmed. Closing Settings before completing the prompts may mean the change was not saved. Check the displayed contact afterward.

Tips

Choose someone you trust to handle a public memorialized profile respectfully, and consider telling them about your choice while you can.
Review the permissions carefully. If an option to download account information appears, decide whether that access is appropriate for the person you chose.
Revisit the setting if your circumstances change, if you change your mind, or if the person you selected no longer uses Facebook.
Keep your own account secure. A legacy contact does not need your password, login codes, or access to your device to be appointed.
If the setting is missing in the app, try Facebook in a web browser, update the app, or search Settings for “legacy contact” and “memorialization.”

Troubleshooting

I cannot find the option. Open Facebook Settings and search for “memorialization.” Check Accounts Center and the account ownership or personal details sections. If you are using the app, try a browser; the menu can differ across devices, regions, and account experiences.

The person does not appear in search. Check the spelling and confirm you are searching for the right Facebook profile. The person may need to be your friend first. Send a friend request if appropriate, wait for it to be accepted, then try again.

The change does not seem to save. Make sure you completed every confirmation step and that your internet connection is working. Reopen the memorialization page to check the saved contact. If the setting still will not update, sign out and back in, try another browser or device, or use Facebook’s Help Center to look for current account-specific guidance.

I selected the wrong person. Return to the same memorialization setting and look for an option to change or remove the legacy contact. Confirm the updated selection before leaving the page. If the option is unavailable, consult Facebook Help rather than sharing your login details with anyone offering to change it for you.

The account is already memorialized. The available controls may differ once an account has been memorialized. The legacy contact or another eligible person may need to follow Facebook’s current Help Center instructions for memorialized accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can a Facebook legacy contact do?
A legacy contact can manage limited features of a memorialized profile, such as certain profile details, a pinned post, and friend requests, depending on Facebook’s current options. They do not become you or get ordinary account access.

Can my legacy contact read my private messages?
No. Facebook’s legacy-contact role does not allow the person to sign in as you or read your private messages.

Does Facebook notify the person I choose?
Facebook may offer to send a message when you appoint the contact. Review the prompt; you can decide whether to send the notification if that choice is available.

Can I change or remove my legacy contact?
Usually, you can return to the memorialization setting and update or remove the selection while you have access to the account. Check the controls shown in your account.

Can I choose someone who is not my Facebook friend?
Facebook generally requires the legacy contact to be a friend. If the person is not listed, confirm the friendship and try again after they accept your request.

Is a legacy contact the same as deleting my account after death?
No. A legacy contact is for managing limited features of a memorialized profile. Facebook provides a separate choice for requesting account deletion after death, where available.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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