Flickr helps you share your photos with the people important to them. It also helps people organize their photos and videos.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- How to Delete Your Own Flickr Account
- How to Delete a Deceased Loved One’s Flickr Account
- Frequently Asked Questions: Deleting a Flickr Account
Flickr inspires aspiring photographers or other interested parties. Users can scroll through millions (or billions) of photos organized under a keyword and leave comments about the pictures.
Users can store up to 1,000 photos or videos for free, but you need an account to do so.
Some users pay for Flickr Pro, which enables them to browse the website ad-free, enjoy unlimited uploads, and understand which of your photos are currently trending (and which have performed the best overall).
We'll help you learn how to delete a Flickr account and what to do when a loved one who passed had a Flickr account.
How to Delete Your Own Flickr Account
You can delete your own Flickr account relatively easily, especially if you know your login information. Before you go through the steps, understand that Flickr deletes all your photos and other content once your account is gone.
Take these steps to delete your Flickr account.
1. Log in to Flickr
Click on the button on the top right of the home page. Your email address serves as your login.
2. Click on your profile photo
Clicking on your photo will allow you to access your account options.
3. Click on “Settings”
Under “Settings,” you will find four additional options: “Personal Information,” “Privacy and Permissions,” “Emails and Notifications,” and “Sharing and Extending.”
Browsing through these settings may encourage you to change your mind about deleting your Flickr account. For example, let's say you feel as if you get too many emails and notifications. Instead of deleting your account, you can opt for a simple fix: Change the settings tab under your profile.
4. Click the “Personal Information” tab
The “Personal Information” tab is the first tab on the left.
5. Locate the “Account” section of this page
The “Account” section is next to the box titled “Membership Status.”
6. Select “Delete your Flickr account”
Choose "delete your Flickr account" at the bottom of the account section. The complete sentence reads: “You can also get help with your account or delete your Flickr account.”
7. Click “OK”
Before you ask Flickr to continue deleting your account, you might think about options for editing the account that will make you happier with Flickr’s service. For example, Flickr suggests that you change your screen name if that's causing you to feel unhappy with your account.
8. Reenter your password
Reentering your password will confirm that no one will delete your account without your knowledge.
9. Offer final confirmation
Flickr forces you to acknowledge the following statement before they delete your account: “Yes, I fully understand that all my photos and videos and metadata will be permanently deleted.” However, it’s worth knowing that images set to “public” may still appear in Google searches.
How to Delete a Deceased Loved One’s Flickr Account
If you recently lost a close loved one, you probably feel overwhelmed getting through your list of what to do when somebody dies. Once you complete all the essential tasks, such as getting copies of the death certificate, you may wish to delete your loved one’s online accounts.
Although deleting accounts like those offered through Flickr isn’t traditionally a duty of the executor, it is something that the deceased’s family members might want to complete.
Like Facebook, Flickr offers “in memoriam” accounts for deceased loved ones. We’ll give you the steps for changing the status of the account for your family member who passed and give you tips on how to delete the account permanently.
1. Understand what “in memoriam” accounts entail
Memorial accounts through Flickr will preserve all of your loved one’s public content, even when their Pro subscription lapses. The account’s username will be updated to reflect the “in memoriam” status. No one will be able to log in to the account to make any changes or additions.
2. Fill out the “in memoriam” form
Fill out this form to request that your loved one’s account is given this change in status. You’ll be required to submit an obituary, death certificate, or memorial card of your loved one. Flickr doesn't grant all requests — it reserves the right to choose which accounts will be memorialized.
Even though the account will be set to a memorial account, you might make sure you have digital copies of the images that are the most important to you.
OR you can do the following...
1. Gain access to your loved one’s Flickr account using their password
If your loved one used a password manager and you can gain access to your loved one's account after death, you could go through the account deletion process previously described.
2. Reach out to Flickr for assistance
If you wish to gain access to an account of someone who has passed away and can prove that you have a legal right to access the content, contact Flickr.
Frequently Asked Questions: Deleting a Flickr Account
Do you have additional questions about deleting a Flickr account? If so, take a look at a few more FAQs about Flickr.
Can you delete a Flickr account without a password?
Online life can be complicated at times. Flickr allows you to reset your password if you can’t remember yours, but sometimes this isn't an option. For example, you might have set up your account with an email address that you no longer use. Unfortunately, this would make changing your Flickr password almost impossible.
If you find yourself in this complicated situation, contact the Flicker help staff. Navigate to the link that says “help by email” and explain your situation. You might have to prove that the content belongs to you.
Does Flickr automatically delete inactive accounts?
If you read the fine print on Flickr’s website, you may discover a “90-day rule,” which states that Flick reserves the right to delete inactive accounts after 90 days. However, if you read the conversations among active Flickr users, you will see that the staff has never acted upon the 90-day rule. In fact, a staff member stated that if they were to clean out inactive accounts, they would start with accounts that haven’t been touched for more than a year.
What happens to your photos once you delete your Flickr account?
Flickr makes it abundantly clear that your photos, videos, and metadata will be permanently deleted if you close your account. Flickr will remind you of this during several steps of the deletion process.
This information would be critical to someone trying to figure out what to do with a deceased loved one’s Flickr account. Losing the images that your loved one thoughtfully archived could feel devastating. Make sure you have backups of your loved one’s content before you request to delete an account.
Give Yourself Time
You might feel a time crunch when closing some of your deceased loved one’s accounts. After all, the estate will have to continue to make mortgage payments until everything gets settled. You will also have to continue to pay for your loved one’s cell phone service, electricity, and water until the accounts close.
However, give yourself time to settle smaller accounts, like your loved one’s account with Flickr. Be gentle with yourself until you feel strong enough to face such tasks. After all, the death of a loved one is a traumatic event.
The annual price for a Flickr account is $59.99, so this is the most that your loved one’s account will be charged if you decide to put this task on the backburner.