What Happens to Your YouTube Account When You Die
Quick Facts
Deadline
None
Difficulty
Moderate
Key Info
Set up Google Legacy Contact
Step-by-Step Guide
Set up Google Inactive Account Manager
YouTube is part of Google. Set up Inactive Account Manager to control what happens to your channel.
Estimated time: 10 min
Download video archive
Use YouTube Studio or Google Takeout to download all uploaded videos.
Estimated time: 30-120 min
Note AdSense details
If you earn revenue, record your AdSense account email. Unpaid earnings are estate assets.
Estimated time: 5 min
Family requests memorial
Family requests channel memorialisation through Google support with Death Certificate.
Document Now Checklist
- YouTube channel URL
- Google account email
- AdSense account details
- Monthly revenue estimate
Last verified: June 2026. Platform policies may change. Verify current procedures directly with YouTube. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Related Guides
Facebook has the best memorial process of any social platform. Set up a Legacy Contact now — it takes 5 minutes.
Go to Settings → Account → Download Data to save all photos, videos, and profile info.
X (Twitter)
X does NOT memorialise accounts. If not deactivated, X may eventually delete your account due to inactivity.
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