Memorial privacy guide
Choose the right privacy setting for an online memorial
Privacy is not one switch. Decide who should be able to open the memorial, whether it may appear in search, and how easily its address could be shared beyond the family.
Compare the three visibility settings
Held in Memory lets the account holder change a memorial between public, link-only and private. The right choice depends on whether the page is still being prepared, how widely the family wants to share it and whether it will be linked from printed material.
- Public: anyone can open the memorial, and search engines may include it in results.
- Link-only: anyone with the address can open it, but the page is marked noindex so it is not intended for normal search discovery.
- Private: only the signed-in account holder can view it. It is useful for preparation, but invited guests cannot open it.
Understand what link-only does not protect
Link-only reduces discovery; it is not a password or an invitation list. A relative can forward the address, copy it into a message, photograph a printed QR code or post it elsewhere. Anyone who receives that copy can open the page.
Use link-only when that level of informal family sharing is acceptable. Use private while the page contains unfinished, disputed or especially sensitive material that should remain visible only to the account holder.
Choose privacy before printing a QR code
A QR code is a visible copy of the memorial address. Public and link-only pages can work for guests who scan a service sheet or keepsake. A private page cannot, because the visitor would need to be signed in as the account holder.
Treat a printed code as shareable. Check every detail on the destination page before approving stationery, and do not print the code if the family has not agreed that recipients may open and reshare the memorial.
Review personal details with the family
A respectful memorial still needs normal privacy judgement. Confirm photographs and stories with the people involved, particularly when they identify living relatives, children, health information or difficult family events.
- Do not publish home addresses, private phone numbers, financial details or account information.
- Ask before identifying living people in a sensitive story or photograph.
- Check names, dates and captions with someone who knows the family history.
- Leave out disputed material until the family has resolved it.
- Keep original photographs and story text somewhere the family controls.
A pre-sharing privacy checklist
Preview the visitor page on a phone and ask one trusted person to review it before the link goes to a larger group.
- The correct person, portrait, spelling and dates appear immediately.
- The chosen setting matches who should be able to visit.
- No private contact details or unnecessary information about living people appears.
- Photographs and captions are suitable for everyone receiving the link.
- Visitor tributes, if enabled, have someone responsible for reviewing them.
- Any printed QR sample opens the intended page without asking guests to sign in.
Change the setting or delete the memorial later
The account holder can update visibility from the memorial manager. Changing a public page to link-only or private stops ordinary public access, although copies and screenshots already made by other people cannot be recalled.
A deletion request hides the memorial immediately and can be cancelled from the account. Permanent deletion is currently paused while recoverable storage is being verified, so its content, photographs and tributes remain available for restoration.
Common questions
Can I prepare the memorial privately first?
Yes. Keep it private while writing and checking details, then change it to link-only or public when the family is ready.
Does link-only mean password protected?
No. Search engines are told not to index the page, but anyone with the address can open and reshare it.
Can a private memorial use a guest QR code?
Not for ordinary visitors. An ordinary private memorial is visible only to its signed-in account holder; an approved Legacy Contact may also access a released self-prepared memorial within the creator’s permissions. Choose public or link-only before distributing a QR code to guests.
Are visitor tributes published immediately?
No. Premium visitor tributes remain pending until the account holder approves them.
Ready when you are
Begin privately and share when it feels right
Start with the verified basics, keep the page private while reviewing it, and change the setting later.
Start a private draft