When a WhatsApp user passes away, their account and all of its data remains active unless someone takes action to memorialize or delete the account. There is no automatic deactivation process for accounts of deceased users. This means that their profile, groups, and chats will all still be accessible unless the account is memorialized or deleted.
Can someone access a deceased person’s WhatsApp account?
Yes, if someone has physical access to the deceased’s phone and knows their passcode, they can open WhatsApp and access the person’s account and messages. However, this would be considered a violation of privacy in most cases. The ethically appropriate options are to either memorialize or delete the account.
How to Memorialize a WhatsApp Account
WhatsApp offers an account memorialization option that preserves the profile and data but restricts full access. Here are the steps to memorialize a WhatsApp account:
- Contact WhatsApp directly by emailing [email protected] from the email address associated with the deceased’s account. Include the person’s name and phone number.
- WhatsApp will respond with instructions on how to submit documentation to verify your relationship to the deceased.
- Once verified, WhatsApp will memorialize the account. This entails adding “Remembering” next to the person’s name and limiting account functionality.
Once an account is memorialized:
- The profile photo will still be visible to friends and family.
- The account status will change to “Remembering” followed by their name.
- No one will be able to see the deceased’s last seen or online status.
- No new security code requests can be sent to the account.
- Group admins can no longer add the account to new groups.
- Only current contacts can still send messages and see the responses through pre-approved responses.
How to Delete a WhatsApp Account
Instead of memorializing, the family can decide to delete the WhatsApp account completely. This will erase all of the account’s data.
To delete a WhatsApp account:
- Email [email protected] from the deceased’s registered email address. Include their phone number and name.
- WhatsApp will respond with instructions to verify your relationship to the deceased and your authorization to delete the account.
- Once verified, WhatsApp will delete the account and all of its data.
What happens to group chats when someone dies?
If someone passes away who was a member of various WhatsApp groups, their membership status in those groups depends on whether their account is memorialized or deleted:
- If the account is memorialized, they will remain in the groups they were part of. But other members will see the “Remembering” tag next to their name.
- If the account is deleted, they will be automatically removed from all groups.
- The group admin also has the ability to manually remove the deceased member from the group.
Can someone take over a deceased person’s WhatsApp account?
No, WhatsApp does not allow accounts to be transferred to a new person or number. The options are limited to memorializing or deleting the account.
What happens to WhatsApp data after death?
All data associated with a WhatsApp account is deleted if the account is deleted after the death of the user. If the account is memorialized, the data remains visible but access is limited. In either case, no one can take over the account or reuse the number.
How long does data stay on WhatsApp after death?
WhatsApp data remains stored on their servers for up to 90 days after deletion. So any backed up messages or media files may still be recovered during this time. After 90 days, deleted data is permanently erased from WhatsApp’s servers.
For memorialized accounts, the data remains stored indefinitely unless the account is later deleted. Only in cases where GDPR applies, does WhatsApp delete data from memorialized accounts after three months of inactivity.
Can someone download a deceased’s WhatsApp data?
Yes, but only before the account is deleted. To access and download a deceased WhatsApp user’s account data:
- Email [email protected] to request data download.
- Verify your authorization and relationship to the deceased.
- WhatsApp will email a download link for the user data.
- This will include an HTML file with messages, photos, videos and other media files.
However, this access is only granted if the email comes from the account holder prior to deletion. Once the account is deleted, data download is no longer available.
Who inherits a WhatsApp account?
No one technically “inherits” a WhatsApp account, as the service does not allow account transfers. The closest option is for a verified family member to memorialize the account and retain limited access to view profile info and send messages. But full account access does not transfer to any heir or contact after death.
Can someone hack into a dead person’s WhatsApp?
It is possible to hack into a deceased person’s unattended WhatsApp account, but it requires physical access to their phone and the ability to bypass security. This would involve resetting their password or exploiting a security vulnerability. However, hacking a dead person’s account would be extremely unethical and likely illegal in most jurisdictions.
Is it illegal to access a dead person’s WhatsApp?
In most cases, yes it is illegal to access a deceased person’s WhatsApp account without authorization. WhatsApp data and messages are considered private property. Only the account holder can provide consent to access. Some exceptions may apply for immediate family verifying death or managing digital assets.
Unauthorized access could violate data protection and privacy laws. WhatsApp has mechanisms to allow verified next of kin to lawfully access accounts for limited purposes.
How does WhatsApp verify death of an account holder?
WhatsApp requires documentation to verify an account holder’s death before memorializing or deleting an account. Acceptable documents include:
- Death certificate
- Obituary
- Last will and testament identifying the requester
- Birth certificate demonstrating relationship
- Verification of Identity Documents
WhatsApp reviews the documents to confirm the death before taking any account action. Verification aims to prevent unauthorized changes while facilitating account closure.
Can a family request WhatsApp delete data of the deceased?
Yes, verified next of kin can request WhatsApp delete all data from the account of a deceased user by requesting account deletion. This erases all account information.
In certain countries subject to GDPR, families also have the right to request deletion of any WhatsApp data belonging to the deceased. WhatsApp must comply with these accepted requests to honor data privacy rights.
Does WhatsApp notify contacts when someone dies?
No, WhatsApp does not directly notify any contacts or group members when an account holder dies. However, they may indirectly notice if:
- The deceased is removed from groups after account deletion.
- The account status changes to “Remembering” after memorialization.
- The profile photo is changed to a memorialization image.
While WhatsApp doesn’t directly inform other users, group admins can share news of the death within relevant groups.
Conclusion
The death of a WhatsApp account holder does not automatically disable or memorialize their account. Appropriate steps must be taken by authorized family to either memorialize or delete the account. While memorialization retains some account data, deletion erases all data permanently. Proper verification is required for anyone requesting account changes after a death. Unauthorized access is typically illegal. The account and phone number cannot be transferred or reused. But memorialization allows some continued messaging ability for friends and family of the deceased.