Accessing or Closing a Deceased Person's Email Account

A deceased person's email inbox is often one of the most valuable resources for estate administration — containing correspondence from financial institutions, subscription receipts, government departments, and login credentials for online accounts. But the major email providers treat account privacy very seriously, even after death. This guide explains what is possible with each platform and how to approach the process.

Why email access matters for estate administration

Before exploring how to access the account, it is worth being clear about why this matters practically for executors:

• Financial account correspondence: bank statements, pension provider letters, investment platform notifications, and HMRC correspondence are increasingly sent by email rather than post — finding these helps identify the full extent of the estate
• Subscription identification: receipts and renewal notifications in the inbox reveal which subscriptions need to be cancelled
• Online account credentials: password reset emails and account confirmation emails help identify online accounts that need to be closed
• Legal and tax documents: solicitor correspondence, Self Assessment notifications, and other important documents may only exist digitally
• Business contacts: for self-employed people and sole traders, email may be the primary record of client relationships and outstanding invoices

If full account access is not achievable, focus on obtaining what information you can through other means — bank statements, physical correspondence, and other devices — while the email access process is ongoing.

Google Gmail: Inactive Account Manager and formal requests

Google's Inactive Account Manager is a feature that allows users to plan for what happens to their Google account if they become inactive or die. If the deceased had configured this (accessible via Google Account Settings, then "Data and privacy", then "More options"), they may have designated one or more trusted contacts who will automatically be notified and given access to specific data after a defined period of inactivity.

Check whether the deceased had set this up by asking those close to them — it is not something many people configure, but it is worth establishing early. If it was set up, the designated contact should have received an email from Google when the account became inactive.

If no Inactive Account Manager was configured, you can submit a formal request to Google to access or close the account. Go to Google's "Submit a request regarding a deceased user's account" form. Google may:

• Close the account without providing content access
• In some circumstances, provide specific data from the account (such as emails) to a verified next of kin — though this is not guaranteed and Google states it is reviewed on a case-by-case basis

Google will typically request a death certificate, your own government-issued photo ID, and evidence of your relationship to the deceased. Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration strengthen the request considerably. Be prepared for a lengthy process — Google handles these requests carefully and they can take several weeks.

Microsoft Outlook and Hotmail: the Next of Kin process

Microsoft has a formal Next of Kin process for deceased account holders. Unlike some platforms, Microsoft may be willing to provide a "content package" — essentially a copy of the inbox exported as a file — rather than granting direct account access. This approach preserves privacy while allowing estate administration.

To initiate the process, contact Microsoft Support and explain that you are requesting access to the account of a deceased person. You will typically be required to provide:

• A certified copy of the death certificate
• Your own photo ID and evidence of your relationship to the deceased
• In many cases, Microsoft requires a court order — specifically a court order from a UK court confirming you are entitled to access the account contents. This is a formal legal step that may require engaging a solicitor

If Microsoft does provide a content package, it will be in a standard format that can be opened with Microsoft Outlook or imported into an email client. This gives the executor access to the email content without technically "accessing" the account itself.

Apple iCloud Mail: Digital Legacy and court orders

Apple introduced its Digital Legacy programme in iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2, and macOS 12.1. This allows Apple users to designate Legacy Contacts who can request access to their Apple account data after death. Each Legacy Contact receives an access key that, combined with a death certificate, allows them to request a temporary Apple ID for accessing the deceased's data.

If the deceased designated a Legacy Contact, that person should go to Apple's Digital Legacy page (accessible via appleid.apple.com) to initiate the process. You will need:

• The Legacy Contact access key (shared with you by the deceased)
• An official death certificate

Apple will then create a special Legacy account providing access to photos, files, messages, and mail for a limited period.

If no Legacy Contact was designated — which is the case for the vast majority of people who died before iOS 15.2 was released or who simply did not configure the feature — Apple's position is that no access can be granted without a court order. Apple's terms state that accounts are non-transferable and that all rights to content terminate upon death. Obtaining a court order in the UK is possible but time-consuming and expensive; a solicitor can advise on whether the content is valuable enough to justify the cost.

Practical alternatives when formal access is unavailable

If platform processes are taking a long time or access is denied, consider these practical alternatives for obtaining the information you need:

• Check physical post: many organisations still send paper correspondence — systematically going through recent post will identify financial institutions and other contacts
• Bank statements: statements show all direct debits and payments to financial institutions, subscription services, and other organisations — often more comprehensive than email
• Password manager: if the deceased used a password manager (LastPass, 1Password, Dashlane) and you can access it, this may contain all their online account details
• Saved passwords in browser: if you have access to the deceased's computer, saved passwords in Chrome, Firefox, or Safari may include email login credentials
• Phone access: if the deceased's phone is accessible and the email app is still logged in, the inbox may be viewable directly through the app without needing platform-level account access