How to Cancel a Deceased Person's Subscriptions: Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Spotify and More
By The HeirLoft Team · June 15, 2026
Once you've tracked down a loved one's recurring charges, the next step is canceling them — and each company has its own process. The good news: most follow the same pattern, and once you have the right documents ready, you can work through them one at a time. If you haven't found everything yet, start with how to find a deceased person's subscriptions.
Because each provider changes its exact steps over time, this guide describes the general process for each and links to the company's official help page rather than walking through menus that may have moved by the time you read this. When in doubt, the official link is the source of truth.
Before you start
A few things hold true across almost every service:
- You'll usually need a certified copy of the death certificate and proof that you're authorized to act for the estate — for an executor, that typically means letters testamentary. Keep several certified copies; most companies won't accept photocopies.
- Have the email address or phone number on the account. It's the fastest way for support to locate it.
- You generally can't just log in with their credentials. Use each company's official bereavement or account-closure process instead.
- If a service was billed through Apple, Google, a cable provider, or a phone carrier, cancel at that billing partner — not the service itself. If there's no cancel option inside the service, that's the usual reason.
Canceling subscriptions is one task within a larger executor job; for the full picture, see the digital estate checklist for executors.
This is general information, not legal advice. Authority to act and what you're permitted to access vary by state and situation. Where estate authority is involved, check with the executor or the attorney handling the estate before acting.
Netflix
If you have access to the account, a membership can be ended from the account settings. If you don't, Netflix has a process for canceling a deceased member's account — contact them through the official help channel using the email or phone number on the account. If Netflix was billed through Apple, Google, or a cable bundle, cancel at that partner instead. Start at the Netflix Help Center.
Amazon (Prime, Kindle Unlimited, Audible)
Amazon handles these requests through customer service. Without login details, they typically ask for a copy of the death certificate, a document showing your authority over the estate, a copy of your ID, and the email or phone number on the account. Also check for recurring auto-deliveries (Subscribe & Save) — closing the account stops them — and ask about refunds on the remaining balance of prepaid services. Begin at Amazon Customer Service.
Apple (Apple ID, iCloud, App Store subscriptions)
Subscriptions billed through the App Store are tied to the person's Apple ID. Apple has a process for closing a deceased person's Apple ID; you'll generally need the Apple ID and a death certificate. Be aware that content tied to the Apple ID — iCloud files, purchases — is terminated when the ID is closed, so retrieve anything important first. If the person set up a Legacy Contact in advance, that can streamline access. Start at Apple Support.
Google (Play subscriptions, YouTube Premium, Google One)
Subscriptions billed through Google Play are tied to the person's Google account. Google offers a process to request closure of a deceased person's account; where the person configured Inactive Account Manager in advance, that governs what happens. You'll typically need a death certificate and proof of authority. Start at Google Account Help.
Spotify
Contact Spotify through its official support channel to cancel; you'll verify your identity and relationship to the account holder. Watch the family-plan blind spot: if the deceased paid for a Premium Family plan, once the payment fails the other members revert to the free tier. Coordinate with anyone affected, and ask about transferring the plan if others rely on it. Start at Spotify Support.
Microsoft 365
Contact Microsoft through its official support channel for the correct cancellation procedure. You'll verify your identity and relationship and provide documentation such as a death certificate and executor papers. Start at Microsoft Support.
Hulu and Disney+
For Hulu, use the official help center to get in touch and provide proof of death and your authority. For Disney+, contact customer service. As with the others, if either was billed through a third party, cancel at that billing partner. Start at the Hulu Help Center or the Disney+ Help Center.
Anything else
For any service not listed here, the method is the same: find the charge, identify where the billing actually happens, and contact that company's official bereavement or account-closure process with the death certificate and proof of authority in hand.
Save your own family the hunt
Working through this list is a lot — and it's only necessary because the subscriptions were never written down anywhere. The simplest way to spare your own family the same task is to keep an up-to-date list of your subscriptions and accounts somewhere they can find it. HeirLoft finds the recurring charges you've forgotten and keeps them in one place your heirs can actually use.
The proactive version of this whole guide: how to leave a list of your accounts for your family, so they never have to do this hunt.