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Do you have a Patreon account? Patreon, a membership platform that provides business tools for artists and content creators to run a subscription service, might be something you no longer need.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- How to Delete Your Own Patreon Membership
- How to Delete Your Own Patron Creator Page
- How to Delete a Deceased Loved One's Patreon Membership
- How to Delete a Deceased Loved One's Patreon Creator Page
- How to Delete a Patreon Account: FAQs
In that case, let us help you delete your Patreon account. We will also help you if you need to take care of the digital afterlife of a deceased family member.
How to Delete Your Own Patreon Account
Patreon gives the user clear instructions on how to delete a membership account. Learn the steps you need to take.
First, you must realize what “deleting your account” actually means.
If you no longer wish to support a specific creator but want to make donations to others, you should not delete your account. Instead, look for instructions on how to cancel a membership.
You may not want to receive any emails about the creator’s content and wish to sever all ties with the individual. Instead of deleting your Patreon account, learn how to unsubscribe from all of the notification emails from that specific creator.
The following instructions involve those who no longer wish to support creators through the Patreon platform.
Step 1: Log in and cancel all your active memberships
Patreon’s website says that it may take up to 30 days to delete your account. Because of this time lag, it is recommended that you cancel all of your memberships before submitting your account for deletion.
To cancel active creator memberships, log on, then visit the Patreon help center.
Step 2: Visit Patreon’s online Privacy Policy Center
Once you get to this page, click the “Take Control” button, located in the top right corner.
Click the "Erase" option with an icon that looks like a trash can. This will erase all of your personal data from Patreon’s systems.
Step 3. Verify deletion
After selecting the option to erase your data, you'll be asked to verify your request by clicking “allow.” Patreon works with Transcend, a company that works to erase personal data that lives online. By allowing Transcend to access your account, you'll move the process forward.
Patreon will then ask you to click "confirm" to erase your account and the data that comes with it. If you have second thoughts about deleting your account and data, you have 14 days to stop the process.
Step 4: Check email for confirmation
You will receive notifications throughout the data erasure process and will receive a final email when the process is complete.
How to Delete Your Own Patreon Creator Page
You may wish to delete your creator page on Patron. Learn the steps here.
Step 1: Send a message to your patrons
If you have decided to suspend your creative pursuits for the time being, consider sending a message to those who support you.
Does this decision make the most sense for you? You may consider taking a break by using Patreon’s "pause billing" feature. This way, your patrons will not be charged as you consider other pursuits.
Step 2: Transfer your remaining balance
Do you still have funds in your account with Patreon? Transfer funds before closing your account.
Step 3: Visit the account settings page for your creator account
Once you get there, scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Step 4: Click on “Unlaunch Your Creator Page”
Click “Confirm.”
Once you have unlaunched your page, you can't receive payments or new memberships. You can use your account to act as a patron for other creators.
How to Delete a Deceased Loved One’s Patreon Account
You may feel overwhelmed with the task of deleting your loved one’s online accounts and memberships. In fact, you may have a difficult time understanding what accounts your loved one created if you don’t have access to your loved one's email through a password manager or some other means.
Note that your loved one's bank or credit card company may take care of these concerns. Once the bank and credit card company know about your loved one’s death, they flag those cards. This means that the account cannot incur additional charges.
Still, you may wish to let those that your loved one supported through Patreon know why they will no longer receive funds.
Unfortunately, Patreon does not offer a customer support phone number or chat options on its website. Learn more about your two options. From here, it's a good idea to follow our complete post-loss checklist for more ideas about how to handle your loved one's digital legacy.
Option 1: Email Patreon’s support team
Patreon’s support is called the “Community Happiness Team.” It offers support via email on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST. Visit Patreon’s website and click on the button at the bottom that reads “Email Patreon Support.”
Option 2: Send a message through X (formerly Twitter)
You can also send a message through X (formerly Twitter) Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST.
No matter which option you choose, explain that your loved one has died and that you wish to have your loved one's account deleted.
How to Delete a Deceased Loved One’s Patreon Creator Page
Patreon’s Terms of Service does not explain what happens if a creator dies. You may want to reach out to its customer service department. You can tap into two options for reaching Patreon’s customer support team.
Option 1: Email Patreon’s support team
Patreon offers support via email on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST. Visit Patreon’s website and click on the button at the bottom that reads “Email Patreon Support.”
Option 2: Send a message through Twitter
Send a message through Twitter Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST.
If your loved one had a positive account balance, you might have to provide a copy of their death certificate to receive the funds in the account.
How to Delete a Patreon Account: FAQs
Here are the nitty-gritty details on how to delete a Patreon account. Scroll through the FAQs to find answers to your questions.
What happens to active memberships when I delete a Patreon account?
You will no longer provide financial support to a creative when you delete your Patreon account. If you are a creative who deletes your Patreon account, you will no longer receive support.
Can I recover a Patreon account after it’s deleted?
You will receive this message after deleting a Patreon account:
“We will delete all personal data we have about you. There may be some exceptions. For example, we may be required to keep some data in order to comply with anti-fraud regulations. Note that by erasing your data we will no longer provide our services to you. For security reasons, we have a wait period on data erasure: we will give you the opportunity to cancel this erasure request for 14 days. After that, this erasure operation is final and cannot be reversed. We will notify you by email regarding updates to the status of this request.”
What happens to personal information and data when you delete a Patreon account?
Patreon states that the company will delete all your personal data when they delete your account. However, they may be required to keep some data “to comply with anti-fraud regulations.”
Do I receive a refund for my unspent balance after deleting my Patreon account?
You may consider “unpublishing” your page if you are a creator with Patreon. Before unpublishing your page, it is recommended that you request a payout of any remaining balance. The company also suggests downloading a CSV of your payout history for your personal records.
Can I delete Patreon if I owe money to a creator or have pending payments?
Canceling a membership does stop future billing. That said, Patreon will process any pending bills on your account upon cancellation.
Is there any way to temporarily deactivate a Patreon account instead of deleting it?
The previous “disable” feature is no longer available for Patreon account holders. Instead, you must submit your account for deletion through the Patreon privacy center.
If you are a creative, you can unlaunch your Patreon account – or you can take a break using Patreon’s “pause billing” feature.
Take Care of Accounts
The executor of an estate has many responsibilities when someone dies. Taking care of the deceased’s online accounts doesn't involve these responsibilities unless a balance due exists to the estate.
Learn more about your loved one’s digital afterlife by looking through the resources that CAKE’s blog provides.
Source:
- “Delete My Patreon Account.” Patreon. Support.patreon.com