How to close a Gmail account of someone who died?

Google will not hand over the password to a Gmail account, but it can close the account and, in some cases, grant limited access to the data. You will need the death certificate and your own government-issued ID. The process usually takes 30 to 60 days, and every request is reviewed case by case.

Don’t have your loved one’s Gmail account login information? Don’t worry.

Gmail is Google’s email service and is used by millions of people around the world.

If you do not have access to your loved one’s account, follow these steps to request account deletion:

• Click to Google’s help page. https://support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590?hl=en
• Under “Request clarification about the account of a deceased person”, select “Close the account of a deceased user”.

• Provide all the information and documents requested to complete the process of closing a Gmail account. Google requires:
  • A scan of your government issued ID (INE, passport, etc).
  • Or driver’s license.
  • The decedent’s death certificate(death certificate).
  • And any additional documents.
• Click on “Submit”. You should then receive a response from Google to follow up on your request.

If you have access to your loved one’s account information instead, log in and follow these instructions to manually close the account. https://support.%C2%

Documents you will be asked for

• The person’s death certificate.
• Your government-issued photo ID.
• The full email address of the account and the name as it appeared on it.
• Something proving your relationship or your legal representation.

Inactive Account Manager: the tool almost nobody sets up

Google has a tool called Inactive Account Manager, and it is the only way to settle this while you are alive. The person chooses an inactivity period, between 3 and 18 months, and names who should be notified.

Once the account has gone that long without being used, Google sends reminders by email and text message. If there is no reply, it notifies the chosen contacts and shares only the data the account holder decided on in advance.

If your relative had set this up, you do not need to file anything: the notice arrives on its own. If they had not, the form is the long way round.

If you do nothing, the account deletes itself after two years

Since December 2023, Google deletes accounts that have been inactive for two years. The emails, the Google Photos library and the Drive files go with them.

This matters more than it seems: if there are photos or documents the family wants to keep, there is a real deadline. It is not urgent in the first week, but it cannot sit on the to-do list for two years either.

Frequently asked questions

Will they give me the password?

No. Google never hands over login credentials. The most that can happen is the account being closed or, depending on the case, certain data being released.

How long does it take?

Thirty to sixty days is typical. Google reviews each request individually, so the timeframe depends on the paperwork the family sends.

What happens to the linked Android phone?

When the account closes, the phone loses access to the Google services tied to it. If someone in the family is going to keep using the device, sort that out before requesting the closure.

This is not the only account left open. We have a guide on how to close accounts after the death of a loved one, and another on what a death certificate is and how to get one, the document every platform will ask for.

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