Google bereavement: Inactive Account Manager and Android risks

Google accounts sit at the heart of modern digital life. Gmail holds years of correspondence, Google Photos stores memories that may exist nowhere else, Drive contains documents and files, and YouTube channels can represent years of creative work. An Android phone is tied to a Google account in a way that can render the device unusable if the account is closed without care. After a bereavement, dealing with the Google account is one of the more important digital tasks – and one that many families do not know how to approach.

Google has a formal process for deceased account requests, but it is not prominently signposted and the options available are more limited than many families expect. This guide explains what you can do, what Google will and will not allow, and how to approach it in a way that protects important data before you take any irreversible steps.

Quick reference:

• Online: Google’s deceased user request form
• Phone: No dedicated bereavement phone line – all requests handled online
• Documents needed: Death certificate + proof of your identity; relationship proof + grant of probate if requesting data or funds
• Process time: Several weeks – Google reviews each case individually

Google’s Inactive Account Manager – was it set up?

Before doing anything else, it is worth knowing whether the deceased set up Google’s Inactive Account Manager. If they did, the entire process becomes significantly easier.

Inactive Account Manager is a feature within Google Account settings that allows users to plan what happens to their account if they stop using it. The account holder can:

• Set an inactivity period (3, 6, 12, or 18 months) after which the account is treated as inactive
• Designate up to 10 trusted contacts who will be notified when inactivity is detected
• Choose which data those contacts can download (Gmail, Google Photos, Drive, YouTube, and more)
• Opt to have the account automatically deleted after the trusted contacts have been notified

Google monitors several signals to determine inactivity, including sign-in history, My Activity records, Gmail usage, and Android check-ins. If the deceased designated you as a trusted contact, Google will send you an email when the inactivity period passes. That email includes a link to download the data the account holder chose to share with you. If account deletion was also selected, you will have a window of time – typically three months – to download the data before it is permanently erased.

Most people will not have set this up. It was launched in 2013 and remains an obscure setting that few think to configure. But it is always worth checking: look through the deceased’s email for any notification from Google about inactive account settings, or ask whether they were particularly organised about their digital accounts.

If Inactive Account Manager was not set up, you will need to use Google’s deceased user request process instead.

(Source: About Inactive Account Manager – Google Account Help, last verified June 2026.)

How to submit a deceased user request

Google’s main route for families is the deceased user request form. You can access it at:

support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590

The form guides you through a series of questions about your relationship to the deceased and what you are trying to do. The main options available are:

1. Close the account – Google will close the account and delete the data associated with it
2. Request content from the account – in limited circumstances, Google may provide data to authorised representatives
3. Request funds – if the deceased had a Google Pay balance or AdSense earnings

What documents are needed

Regardless of which option you select, you will need to provide:

• A death certificate (a certified copy or a clear scan)
• Proof of your own identity (passport, driving licence, or other government-issued ID)
• Proof of your relationship to the deceased if you are requesting data (a marriage certificate, for example, or a will naming you as executor)
• Grant of probate or letters of administration if you are requesting data or funds as the executor of an estate

If your documents are not in English, Google requires a certified and notarised professional translation. For UK families, documents will almost always be in English, so this is unlikely to apply.

What happens after you submit

Google reviews each request individually. This is not an automated process. In practice, families report waiting several weeks for a response, and in some cases longer. Google may ask for additional documentation before making a decision.

One important point: if you choose to close the account, Google cannot later provide the data. The two requests are mutually exclusive. If you ask for the account to be closed, everything in Gmail, Google Photos, Drive, and other Google services will be permanently deleted. You cannot come back afterwards and ask for the photos.

Decide upfront which matters more – closing the account cleanly, or retrieving data first – and do not request closure until you are certain there is nothing in the account you want to keep.

(Source: Submit a request regarding a deceased user’s account – Google Account Help, last verified June 2026.)

Can you access a deceased person’s Gmail?

This is the question families ask most often, and the answer requires some care.

Google’s policy is that they do not grant family members direct login access to a deceased person’s account. They will not provide passwords or login credentials under any circumstances. The account holder’s right to privacy does not simply transfer to next of kin.

In limited circumstances – particularly where an executor of an estate needs data for probate purposes – Google may consider requests to provide specific content from the account. This is assessed case by case. Having a grant of probate or letters of administration, and being able to articulate clearly why the data is needed and what you are looking for, strengthens a request. But there is no guarantee of success, and Google’s discretion is final.

UK law offers little additional leverage here. Unlike some US states, which have enacted Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) legislation specifically giving executors rights to access digital accounts, England and Wales does not have equivalent statutory provisions. The Digital Devices (Access for Next of Kin) Bill was introduced in Parliament but had not progressed beyond its second reading as of early 2026. Until the law changes, executors in England and Wales must work within Google’s own policies rather than asserting a legal right of access.

Scotland operates under Scots law, where executors (known as executors-dative if appointed by the court) similarly have no automatic statutory right to demand access from platforms. The practical position across the UK is: you can ask Google, but you cannot compel them.

If you are trying to access Gmail specifically because it contains financial records or correspondence needed for probate, explain this in your request and include your grant of probate. This is the strongest basis for a data request.

(Sources: Google Account Help – Deceased user requests; The Law Commission – Digital Assets consultation, last verified June 2026.)

Two-step verification – a major blocker for executors

Two-step verification (2SV, also called two-factor authentication or 2FA) is one of the most common reasons families and executors get stuck. Google encourages all users to enable it, and many people do.

When 2SV is active on a Google account, signing in requires not just the password but also a second factor – typically a code sent by text to the deceased’s phone, a prompt sent to a trusted device, or a code from the Google Authenticator app. If you do not have access to the deceased’s phone or trusted device, you cannot log in even if you know the password.

Google will not bypass 2SV for bereaved family members. This is not a policy oversight – it is the fundamental design of two-step verification. The whole point is that the second factor cannot be overridden remotely. This means:

• If the phone is available and still turned on, the verification code may be receivable there
• If the phone’s SIM is still active in another device, SMS codes may still work
• If neither option is available, the only route is Google’s formal deceased user request process

The practical consequence for executors is significant. Even if you have the deceased’s email address and password written down somewhere, 2SV can make direct account access impossible. This makes downloading data yourself – as an alternative to the formal request process – very difficult in practice.

The same problem affects Apple accounts (see our guide to notifying Apple when someone dies) and Microsoft accounts (see our guide to notifying Microsoft when someone dies). Across all major platforms, 2SV is the most common practical blocker for executors.

What to do if 2SV is blocking access:

1. Locate the deceased’s phone – if it is accessible and the SIM is still active, try receiving an SMS code there
2. Check whether Google Backup Codes were set up – these are 10 one-time codes generated when 2SV was enabled, which some people store in a printed sheet or password manager. If you find them, they can each be used once to bypass 2SV
3. If neither option is available, submit the formal deceased user request. You will not be able to log in, but Google can still close the account or consider a data request through that process

There is no way to bypass 2SV through Google’s support team. All requests must go through the deceased user form.

(Source: Google Account Help – 2-Step Verification, last verified June 2026.)

What happens to Google Photos, Drive, and YouTube

When a Google account is closed, all data associated with it is permanently deleted. This includes:

• Google Photos – every photo and video stored in the account, including those shared to the account from other devices
• Google Drive – all documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDFs, and other files
• Gmail – the entire email history
• YouTube – the channel and all its videos, playlists, and subscriber data
• Google Keep – notes and reminders
• Google Contacts – the address book

Act before you request closure. If there is anything in the account you want to preserve, you need to retrieve it before asking Google to close the account. Once closed, there is no recovery route.

Google Photos – a specific risk

Google Photos is where families are most likely to lose something irreplaceable. Many people use Google Photos as their primary photo backup, and some use it as their only copy. If the deceased used an Android phone or had Google Photos set to automatically back up from their device, there may be years of photos stored in the account that exist nowhere else.

If you can access the account while a device is still signed in, you can download photos via Google Takeout at takeout.google.com. This tool allows you to export all data from a Google account – photos, emails, Drive files, and more – in a single batch download. If you cannot access the account directly but Google grants a data request, photos may be included in what they provide.

Google Drive and shared files

If the deceased shared files from Google Drive with other people, those shared files will become inaccessible when the account closes. Anyone who was relying on shared documents, spreadsheets, or folders should download copies before the account is closed. There is no mechanism for transferring Drive file ownership to another account once the original account closes.

YouTube channels

If the deceased had a YouTube channel with content they had built over time – tutorials, vlogs, family videos – consider whether anyone in the family wants to preserve or take over that content before closure. Once the account closes, the channel and all its videos are gone. There is no mechanism for transferring a YouTube channel to a different Google account.

YouTube also has its own specific considerations beyond the general Google account process, including AdSense earnings that may form part of the estate. See the YouTube and AdSense earnings section below.

(Source: Google Account Help – What happens when you delete your Google Account, last verified June 2026.)

Google One subscription

Google One is the paid storage plan that extends the 15 GB of free storage included with every Google account. Plans start at 100 GB and are billed monthly or annually, with UK pricing starting around £1.59 per month. Some plans also include benefits such as Google Store credit, a VPN service, and access to Google Workspace features.

What happens to Google One on death:

Google One is tied to the Google account. When the account is closed via the deceased user request process, the Google One subscription ceases. Google will not automatically cancel it or issue a refund on notification of a death – the charge will continue against the linked payment method until the account is formally closed or the payment method expires.

Cancellation options:

• If you can access the account (logged in on a device), you can cancel Google One directly from one.google.com or through the Google Play subscription management page at play.google.com/store/account/subscriptions
• If you cannot access the account, submitting the deceased user request to close the account will end all active subscriptions including Google One

Refund eligibility: Google’s standard policy is that storage plan purchases are non-refundable. However, UK consumers have a statutory right to cancel a Google Play purchase within 14 days for a full refund (this applies under UK consumer protection law). For ongoing subscriptions where the deceased had been paying for some time, a prorated refund is not automatically available – but if the account is closed shortly after a charge, it is worth raising with Google directly.

Family group impact: If the deceased was the plan manager of a shared Google One subscription – sharing storage with up to five family members – the rest of the group will lose their shared storage when the account closes. Family members should set up their own storage before the account closure is requested.

(Source: Google One – purchase, cancellation and refund policies, last verified June 2026.)

Google Pay and Google Wallet (UK)

In the UK, Google Pay and Google Wallet are closely linked. Google Wallet stores payment cards, travel tickets, loyalty passes, and IDs on Android devices for contactless payments. In the UK, Google Pay is the payment processing layer – it is the mechanism by which cards stored in Google Wallet are used for tap-to-pay transactions.

Cash balances: Google Wallet in the UK is primarily a card-storage and payment tool rather than a stored-value account. Unlike some markets, UK users do not typically hold a standalone cash balance in Google Pay. Payments are made via linked debit or credit cards, not from a Google-held fund. If the deceased had any stored balance or pending Google Pay credits, these would be a minor component of the estate – but the main financial instruments (the linked bank cards themselves) would be dealt with through the relevant banks.

Note on the balance card feature: Google’s “balance card” functionality – allowing users to hold funds directly within Google Pay – is being discontinued in June 2026. After that date, Google Pay in the UK functions entirely through linked payment cards, with no stored balance mechanism.

Claiming Google Pay funds: If the deceased had any residual Google Pay balance or credits, these can be claimed through the “request funds” option in the deceased user troubleshooter. You will need to provide a death certificate, your proof of identity, and documentation of your authority to act for the estate. In practice, any cash balance in a UK Google Pay account is likely to be small or zero, as the UK product is card-linked rather than stored-value.

Google Play credit: Gift card credit or Google Play balance stored in the account is a separate matter. This type of credit is generally non-transferable and will be lost when the account closes. It does not form a recoverable estate asset in the same way as a bank balance.

Google AdSense and YouTube earnings

If the deceased had a monetised YouTube channel or ran Google AdSense on a website, there may be unpaid earnings held in their AdSense account. These form part of the estate.

How AdSense earnings work: AdSense accumulates a balance as ads are displayed on YouTube videos or websites. Google pays out monthly, but only once the balance reaches the payment threshold – £60 in the UK (last verified June 2026). Payments go to a linked bank account. The system does not automatically stop or adjust when an account holder dies.

Claiming AdSense earnings after a death:

1. Use the “request funds” option in Google’s deceased user troubleshooter
2. Provide the death certificate, your proof of identity, and documentation of your authority to act for the estate (grant of probate or letters of administration)
3. Google will review the request and arrange payment to an estate account. Be prepared to provide bank account details for an estate account to receive payment

If the balance is below the payment threshold: Even if the AdSense balance is below £60, you can still request it as part of the estate. The payment threshold applies to routine monthly payouts, not to estate recovery requests. Raise this in your request if Google does not address it automatically.

YouTube Partner Programme: If the deceased was in the YouTube Partner Programme (the monetisation programme that enables AdSense on YouTube), their channel earnings flow through AdSense. The same process applies – use the deceased user request form to request funds. The channel itself cannot be transferred to another Google account once the original account closes.

Channel memberships and Super Chat: If the channel had paid memberships or had received Super Chat payments from viewers, these would also be processed through the AdSense account. The claim process is the same.

(Sources: Google AdSense – payment threshold; Rightful heir to a deceased AdSense account holder – Google AdSense Help; Google – deceased user request form, last verified June 2026.)

Google subscriptions and payments overview

Several Google services charge on a recurring basis. These do not stop automatically on death – they will continue to charge the linked payment method until the account is closed or the payment method expires.

Common subscriptions to check:

To cancel individual subscriptions without closing the entire account, you can manage them via myaccount.google.com/payments-and-subscriptions – though this requires access to the account. If you cannot access the account, request closure via the deceased user form; closing the account will end all active subscriptions.

Play Store purchases (apps, in-app purchases, books, films bought via Google Play) are licences tied to the account. Like Apple’s App Store purchases, they are not transferable and do not form part of the estate. They will become inaccessible when the account closes.

Android devices and Factory Reset Protection

If the deceased had an Android phone or tablet, their Google account is central to how the device functions. This creates a specific risk that many families only discover when they try to pass on or sell the device: Factory Reset Protection (FRP).

What Factory Reset Protection is

FRP is an anti-theft security feature built into Android. When a Google account is active on a device and someone performs a factory reset – wiping the device to its original state – Android requires the original Google account credentials before the device can be set up again. The device essentially asks: “prove this reset was authorised by the person who owned this phone.”

This is a deliberate design. Without FRP, a thief could factory reset a stolen phone and use it or sell it freely. But the same mechanism that protects against theft creates a problem for executors: if a device is factory reset without first removing the Google account, it becomes locked and unusable unless you can supply the original Google account email and password.

What to do before factory resetting an Android device

1. If the device is still accessible and unlocked, sign out of the Google account before resetting: go to Settings → Accounts → Google → Remove account. With the account removed, a factory reset will not trigger FRP
2. If you know the password and have access to the 2SV device, log in and remove the account as above
3. If you cannot log in – because 2SV is active and you do not have the required device or backup codes – do not factory reset. The device will lock

If FRP is triggered

Once FRP is active on a device, the options are limited:

• Google’s official route: Google does not publish a dedicated FRP bypass process for bereaved families. The deceased user request process covers account closure and data access, but not device unlocking specifically
• Device manufacturer support: Some manufacturers – particularly Samsung, which has its own Knox security layer – may be able to assist authorised estate representatives with proof of ownership and estate documentation. This is not a standard service and availability varies
• Professional unlocking services: Some specialist phone repair shops advertise FRP bypass services. These vary in legitimacy and effectiveness, and are not an officially sanctioned route. Use caution
• Contact the manufacturer: If the device was purchased under a warranty or contract, the manufacturer’s support team may be able to advise on the specific device model

The safest approach is always to deal with the Google account before performing any factory reset on an Android device. If the device is not being passed on or sold immediately, there is no urgency to reset it.

Google Family Link and family sharing

If the deceased shared a Google One storage plan with family members, or was the manager of a Google Family Group, closing their account will affect other people – including potentially children who relied on it.

Google One family groups: Google One allows one account to pay for a storage plan and share it with up to five other people. The plan manager’s account controls the group. If the deceased was the plan manager, the rest of the family will lose their shared storage when the account closes. Other family members should set up their own Google One subscriptions or move files to their own storage before account closure is requested.

Google Family Link: Family Link is Google’s parental supervision tool, used to manage children’s Google accounts. If the deceased used Family Link to manage a child’s account, the supervised child’s account will need a new supervising parent or guardian once the managing account is closed. Google will not automatically transfer supervision. Contact Google support to discuss transitioning supervision arrangements before closing the account.

Check whether the deceased was the manager or organiser of any family group before requesting account closure, and give affected family members time to make alternative arrangements.

(Source: Google One – sharing storage with family, last verified June 2026.)

Google Workspace – business accounts

If the deceased ran a business using Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), this is an entirely separate situation from a personal Google account.

Google Workspace is a paid business subscription that gives organisations custom email addresses (for example, name@theirbusiness.com), shared Drive storage, Google Meet, and other business tools. It is managed by an administrator account. If the deceased was the sole administrator of a Google Workspace account, the situation is more complex than a personal account closure.

Why Workspace is different:

• A personal Google account (like name@gmail.com) is an individual account with one owner
• A Google Workspace account is a business account that may have multiple users, each with their own email address and data
• The Workspace administrator controls everything: user accounts, billing, and data access
• If the deceased was the sole Workspace admin, the organisation’s account is effectively locked – other users within the account cannot promote themselves to admin or access the admin console

What to do if the deceased was the Workspace admin:

Google has a domain verification recovery process that may allow the executor or authorised business representative to recover access. This involves verifying ownership of the associated domain (typically by adding a DNS record). Google Workspace support can guide you through this process. You will need:

• Death certificate
• Evidence of your authority over the business (grant of probate covering business assets, company director documentation, or similar)
• Access to the domain’s DNS settings – or a conversation with whoever manages the domain registrar

The business email problem: If the deceased’s custom domain email was used for business banking, supplier communications, or client contracts, those organisations will need to be updated with new contact details. This should be addressed in parallel with the Workspace account process – do not wait until the Workspace account is resolved before starting to notify key business contacts.

If the business was incorporated as a limited company, the company’s continuing obligations (including dealing with contracts, VAT, Corporation Tax, and Companies House filings) will also need legal input. A solicitor or accountant can advise on whether the company should be dissolved or transferred.

(Source: Google Workspace Admin Help – recovering administrator access, last verified June 2026.)

Tell Us Once and the Death Notification Service

Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is the free government service that allows you to notify multiple public sector organisations of a death in a single step. It covers HMRC, DWP, the Passport Office, DVLA, local councils, Veterans UK, and various public sector pension schemes.

Google is not covered by Tell Us Once. Tell Us Once notifies government organisations only. Private technology companies – regardless of how central they are to daily life – are outside its scope. You must contact Google separately using the deceased user request form.

(Source: GOV.UK – Tell Us Once, last verified June 2026.)

Death Notification Service (DNS)

The Death Notification Service is a free scheme run by the financial services industry that allows the estate to notify multiple banks and building societies of a death in one notification. More than 40 financial firms participate as of 2026.

Google is not a DNS member. The DNS is for financial institutions – banks and building societies. Google is a technology company, not a bank or financial institution, and is not listed among DNS members. Notify Google separately via the deceased user request process.

(Source: Death Notification Service, last verified June 2026.)

Step-by-step: what to do

Scotland

In Scotland, the legal process for dealing with a deceased person’s estate is called confirmation rather than probate. The principle is the same – an executor must obtain official authority to administer the estate – but the terminology, paperwork, and courts involved are different.

Certificate of Confirmation is the Scottish equivalent of a grant of probate. Executors apply to the Sheriff Court in the area where the deceased lived. The confirmation document lists each asset and grants the executor authority to collect and distribute them.

Small estates – those with a total net value of £36,000 or less – qualify for a simplified process. The Sheriff Court’s clerk will assist with the paperwork at no charge, and the forms (C1 for the main application, C5 for corrective inventories if needed) can be completed with the clerk’s help. This is significantly more accessible than the full confirmation process for larger estates.

What this means for Google: Google’s deceased user request form is a global form and accepts documentation from all jurisdictions. For Scottish executors, the Certificate of Confirmation serves the same purpose as a grant of probate – submit it alongside the death certificate and your ID when requesting data or funds. Google will accept it as evidence of your authority to act.

(Sources: Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service – Small Estates; mygov.scot – Confirmation, last verified June 2026.)

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, the equivalent of probate is administered by the Probate Office of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS), based at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast.

The process for obtaining a grant of probate or letters of administration follows similar principles to England and Wales, but uses Northern Ireland’s own court system and forms. The NICTS launched an online Probate Portal in 2025, making it possible to apply online, upload documents, and track applications – a significant improvement on the previous paper-based process.

What this means for Google: A Northern Ireland grant of probate or letters of administration from the NICTS Probate Office serves the same function as an English and Welsh grant when submitting a request to Google. Include it alongside the death certificate and your ID when requesting data or funds.

(Source: Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service – Probate; nidirect – Probate, last verified June 2026.)

Frequently asked questions

Can I transfer a Google account to someone else?

No. Google accounts are not transferable. The account owner cannot transfer their Google account to another person while living, and it cannot be transferred as part of an estate. What can be transferred is specific data – photos downloaded from Google Photos, files exported from Drive, contacts exported from Google Contacts – but the account itself remains tied to the original holder and closes with it.

What happens to Google Keep notes and Google Calendar?

Google Keep notes and Google Calendar entries are both deleted when the account closes. If the deceased used Keep for important notes – PIN codes, account passwords, personal records – and you have access to the account, export or photograph these before requesting closure. Google Calendar entries cannot be exported to another account, but individual events can be viewed and the information noted if you have access.

Summary

Google accounts hold a large share of people’s digital lives, and the process for closing or accessing them after death is more limited than families often expect. Google will not give login access to family members, and UK law currently provides no statutory right to compel them to do so. What Google will do is close the account on request, and consider data requests from authorised representatives on a case-by-case basis.

The most important actions to take early:

• Check for Inactive Account Manager – it simplifies everything if set up
• Locate Android devices and remove the Google account before factory resetting, or you risk triggering Factory Reset Protection
• Download data from Google Photos and Drive via Google Takeout if you have account access – once the account closes, this data is gone permanently
• Identify any AdSense earnings (for monetised YouTube channels or websites) – these form part of the estate and can be claimed separately

Two-step verification is the most common practical blocker at every stage. Try to locate the deceased’s phone or any stored backup codes before assuming you cannot access the account.

If the deceased had AdSense earnings, a Google Workspace business account, or family members who depended on a shared Google One plan, each has its own process and its own consequences if overlooked.

For a broader overview of all the accounts and services to deal with after a bereavement, see our what to do after a death hub. If you are dealing with an Apple account at the same time, our guide to notifying Apple covers a similar set of issues including device access and two-factor authentication. If the deceased also had a Microsoft account (Outlook, Hotmail, OneDrive, or Xbox), see our guide to notifying Microsoft when someone dies. For Facebook and Instagram, see our guide to notifying Facebook when someone dies. For streaming subscriptions, see our guide to how to notify Netflix when someone dies. For Amazon Prime, Kindle, and other Amazon services, see our guide to notifying Amazon when someone dies. For a full overview of digital assets – email, social media, cryptocurrency, cloud storage, streaming services, and digital purchases – see our guide to what happens to digital assets when someone dies. For YouTube specifically, including channel monetisation and what happens to a creator’s content, see our guide to what happens to a YouTube channel when someone dies.