What happens to digital assets when someone dies

When someone dies, their digital life does not simply disappear. Email inboxes, social media profiles, cloud storage, streaming subscriptions, and in some cases significant sums tied up in cryptocurrency all become part of what needs dealing with. Unlike a physical estate – where you can see what needs doing – digital assets are often invisible until you start looking.

This guide explains what counts as a digital asset, what happens to each type under UK law, and the practical steps for tracking them down and dealing with them. The most important thing to know early: act before you close or delete anything, because some losses are permanent.

What counts as a digital asset

The term covers more ground than most people expect:

The legal position on most of these is clear: they form part of the deceased’s estate in the same way as physical assets, and the executor or administrator has the responsibility to identify, value, and deal with them. Cryptocurrency received formal legal recognition as property under the Property (Digital Assets etc) Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 2 December 2025.

The practical complication is that many of these assets are protected by passwords and platform policies that do not automatically grant family members or executors access. Legal authority and platform policy are two different things – and platforms set their own rules.

What happens by category

Online accounts and email

Email is often the most useful account to deal with first, because it contains years of correspondence, receipts, and login notifications for every other account the person held. It can help you build a complete picture of their digital life.

Google accounts (Gmail, Google Photos, Drive, YouTube): Google will not give family members login credentials under any circumstances. The formal route is Google’s deceased user request form, which allows account closure or – in limited cases – data requests. If the deceased set up Google’s Inactive Account Manager (which designates trusted contacts to receive data), the process is much easier. Without it, expect several weeks of review. UK law provides no statutory right to compel Google to act. See our guide to notifying Google after a death.

Apple accounts (iCloud, Apple Mail, iCloud Photos): Apple’s Digital Legacy feature (introduced December 2021) lets users designate Legacy Contacts who can access the account after death via digital-legacy.apple.com using an access key and death certificate. Without Digital Legacy, the UK route typically requires a court order – a process that can take months. Apple UK support: 0800 107 6285. See our guide to notifying Apple after a death.

Microsoft accounts (Outlook, Hotmail, OneDrive, Xbox): Microsoft accounts are particularly common among older adults, and they cover a wide range of services — email, cloud storage, Xbox gaming, and Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Microsoft will not grant family members login access, and accessing account contents requires a court order served on Microsoft Ireland. For most families, the practical step is cancelling subscriptions and requesting account closure via Microsoft’s support portal. See our guide to notifying Microsoft after a death.

One critical rule for all email accounts: download or preserve anything important – correspondence, attachments, financial documents – before requesting account closure. Once an account is closed, the data is permanently deleted. You cannot reverse this.

Social media

Facebook (Meta): Facebook offers memorialisation or permanent removal. A memorialised account displays “Remembering” next to the person’s name and can receive tribute posts; only a Legacy Contact designated in advance can manage it. If no Legacy Contact exists, or the family prefers removal, an immediate family member or executor can request permanent deletion. Both options require a death certificate and proof of your relationship. The form is at facebook.com/help/1111566045566400. Instagram (also Meta) offers the same options.

X (formerly Twitter): X does not memorialise accounts. The only option is deactivation, requested via X’s deactivation form for deceased users. You will need a death certificate, your own ID, and proof of relationship to the deceased.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn offers memorialisation (open to anyone — the profile is locked and a “In remembrance” badge is applied) or permanent account closure, which requires formal legal authority (Letters of Administration or equivalent — wills and power of attorney are not accepted). LinkedIn Premium does not automatically cancel if billed through Apple; that must be cancelled separately. See our guide to notifying LinkedIn after a death.

Across all platforms, the key variable is whether a legacy contact or designated person was set up in advance. Where one was, the process is much simpler.

Online banking and PayPal

Online-only bank accounts – Monzo, Starling, and similar – follow the same bereavement process as traditional bank accounts: frozen on notification, with funds preserved in the estate pending the appropriate probate process. PayPal balances form part of the estate; PayPal has a bereavement process that requires a death certificate and proof of authority to act.

For full guidance on bank accounts and financial accounts, see our what to do after a death hub.

Cloud storage and photos

This is where families most often discover irreplaceable losses. Google Photos is frequently the only copy of years of photos and videos – particularly for Android users, where automatic backup is on by default. iCloud holds photos, notes, and device backups that may exist nowhere else.

The rule is the same for all cloud storage (Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive): retrieve everything you want to keep before requesting account closure. Once an account is closed, the data is gone permanently. Do not rush to close anything until you have checked what is there.

Streaming services

Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, and similar services are licences to access content, not permanent purchases. When someone dies, these licences are not transferable to another person – you cannot take over someone’s Netflix subscription and use their account as your own.

The practical step is simply to cancel each subscription to prevent ongoing charges. Most services allow cancellation without being the original account holder, provided you can supply a death certificate and evidence of your authority to act. Check bank statements or email for a full picture of which subscriptions were active and how much they cost.

Any existing subscription period that has been paid for cannot be refunded for the remaining term, though some providers may make goodwill exceptions. Amazon Prime accounts also hold Kindle books, Amazon Photos, and Audible credits — all of which are lost permanently when the account closes, so it is worth reviewing the account before requesting closure. See our guide to notifying Amazon when someone dies. For a full walkthrough of cancelling streaming, cloud storage, gaming, and software subscriptions, see what happens to subscriptions when someone dies.

Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency is the most complex digital asset category, and the one where families face the greatest risk of permanent loss.

Under the Property (Digital Assets etc) Act 2025, cryptocurrency is recognised as property under English, Welsh, and Northern Irish law. This means it forms part of the estate and can in principle be left by will, inherited, or dealt with by an executor. The law is clear. The practical problem lies elsewhere.

The private key problem: Cryptocurrency held in a self-custody wallet – on a hardware device like a Ledger or Trezor, or in a software wallet – is controlled by a private key or seed phrase (a sequence of 12 or 24 words). Without this, the crypto is permanently inaccessible. There is no company to call, no forgotten password process, no court order that can recover it. If the private key or seed phrase was not recorded anywhere accessible, that portion of the estate is effectively lost.

Cryptocurrency held on exchanges (Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, and similar platforms) is different. These are custodial platforms – the exchange holds the crypto on the user’s behalf. They have bereavement processes, and an executor can typically claim the balance by presenting a death certificate, grant of probate or letters of administration, and proof of identity. Expect the process to take several weeks.

If you know the deceased held cryptocurrency but cannot find the private key or seed phrase, take legal advice before concluding the asset is lost. Specialist crypto recovery firms exist, though success depends entirely on what information remains accessible. If the amount is significant, this warrants professional investigation.

If you are uncertain about the tax or legal treatment of any digital asset in the estate, consult a solicitor experienced in digital estates rather than speculating.

Digital purchases

Ebooks bought on Kindle, music through iTunes, games on Steam, apps from the App Store or Google Play – these are licences to access content, not owned assets. The licences are tied to the account and are non-transferable on death. The deceased’s Kindle library, iTunes purchases, and Steam game collection cannot be moved to another account.

The practical implication: these purchases will be lost when the account closes. This is worth knowing before you request closure.

One exception: some NFTs (non-fungible tokens) represent genuine ownership of a digital asset and may be transferable, depending on the specific contract terms. If the deceased held NFTs with potential value, treat them as you would other crypto assets and take advice.

Loyalty points and airline miles

Loyalty programmes vary considerably in their rules on death.

Some programmes allow points to be transferred to the estate or to a named beneficiary. Others expire immediately on death as a matter of programme policy.

British Airways Avios are a common example. The official terms say Avios are cancelled on the member’s death, but in practice British Airways regularly transfers points to family members when approached with a death certificate and, for larger balances, a Grant of Probate. Avios also expire after 36 months of inactivity, so acting promptly matters. See our full guide to what happens to British Airways Avios when someone dies.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles can be transferred to a named beneficiary under Section 2.9 of the Flying Club Terms and Conditions, provided a death certificate, a signed letter of indemnity from the executor, and (if requested) a copy of the will are supplied. The transfer must be undisputed. See our guide to notifying Virgin Atlantic when someone dies.

Check the terms and conditions of each programme individually. For programmes with a significant points balance – particularly airline miles that may represent hundreds of pounds of flight value – it is worth contacting the programme directly with a death certificate to ask about their estate process.

What you need to do: practical steps

1. Build a list of all accounts. Search the deceased’s email inbox for phrases like “welcome to”, “confirm your email”, “your subscription”, and “payment confirmation” – these will reveal most accounts. Check bank and credit card statements for recurring monthly charges, which will surface every active subscription.

2. Look for a password manager. Many people use a password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass, Apple Keychain, Google Password Manager) to store every login. If you can access their phone, tablet, or computer, look for one – it may contain a complete list of accounts and credentials in one place.

3. Check for written records. A notebook in a desk drawer, a printed sheet in a filing cabinet. Many people of all ages keep physical records of their most important passwords. It is always worth looking.

4. Contact platforms individually. There is no equivalent of the Death Notification Service for digital accounts – you cannot notify all platforms at once. Each platform has its own process, and you will need to approach them one by one.

5. Prioritise cloud storage and photos first. These are the assets most at risk of being permanently lost if accounts are closed without retrieval.

6. Seek legal advice for cryptocurrency or significant digital assets. If the estate includes cryptocurrency, domain names with commercial value, or other digital assets of any substance, take advice from a solicitor experienced in digital estates before making decisions.

Planning ahead

The difficulty families face in accessing digital accounts is largely avoidable with a small amount of preparation.

Apple Digital Legacy: Add Legacy Contacts via Settings → [your name] → Sign-In & Security → Legacy Contact. Share the access key with them and keep it safe.

Google Inactive Account Manager: Configure via myaccount.google.com under Data & Privacy → Make a plan for your account. You can designate up to 10 people to receive your data.

Facebook Legacy Contact: Set one up in Settings & Privacy → Settings → Memorialisation Settings.

Password manager with emergency access: 1Password and Bitwarden offer emergency access features that allow a trusted person to request access after a waiting period – giving your executor a practical route to all your accounts.

Cryptocurrency seed phrase: Write it down. Store it separately from the device, in a location a trusted person can find. Never include it in your will, which becomes a public document during probate.

For broader guidance on planning ahead for your estate, see our planning ahead section.

Common questions

Do digital assets need to be declared for inheritance tax?

Yes, if they have value. Cryptocurrency, domain names, and any digital assets with a measurable market value form part of the estate for inheritance tax purposes. HMRC expects them to be declared on the IHT400 in the same way as physical property. For volatile assets like cryptocurrency, professional valuation advice is worth taking. The Property (Digital Assets etc) Act 2025 confirms that digital assets are property for all legal purposes in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

What happens to a deceased person’s email if no one deals with it?

The account continues to exist and receive emails – spam, subscription notices, automatic notifications. Google will eventually delete inactive accounts (typically after two years), unless Inactive Account Manager has been configured to do something specific. It will not cause immediate harm if dealing with email takes a few weeks, but the sooner you act, the more information will be intact.

Can the executor legally access a deceased person’s digital accounts?

The executor has legal authority to administer the estate, which includes digital assets. The practical problem is that platforms do not automatically recognise this authority – and UK law currently gives executors no statutory right to compel platforms to provide access, unlike some US states that have enacted digital asset access legislation. Executors must work within each platform’s own policies. A grant of probate or letters of administration helps considerably, but does not guarantee access. If you are finding platforms uncooperative and the assets are significant, take legal advice from a solicitor experienced in digital estates.