Legacy contacts let you choose who handles your accounts, rather than leaving your family to guess. It takes about ten minutes per service. This how-to is part of our guide to passwords for families and digital legacy.
Why these tools are better than sharing a password
They are official, they respect the service's terms, and they do not put your password at risk while you are alive. Also, you can change your mind at any time.
Apple: Legacy Contact
- On your iPhone, open Settings and tap your name.
- Look for Sign-In & Security, then Legacy Contact.
- Add someone you trust.
- Share the access key with them, through a message or a printed copy.
After your death, they will need the access key along with a death certificate. Paths may change between iOS versions, so check Apple's guide.
Google: Inactive Account Manager
- Go to your Google Account, then Data & privacy.
- Find "Make a plan for your digital legacy", or Inactive Account Manager.
- Choose how long the account must be inactive, such as three to eighteen months.
- Add up to ten people, and choose what each can download.
- Decide if the account should be deleted afterwards.
Google will warn you by email and phone before anything happens.
Facebook: legacy contact
- Open Settings, and find Memorialization settings.
- Choose a legacy contact.
- Decide whether your account should be memorialized or deleted.
A legacy contact can manage a tribute post and profile photo. They cannot read your messages.
Other accounts
- Instagram, X, LinkedIn: family can request memorialization or removal.
- Password managers: use emergency access.
- Banks and investments: name beneficiaries with the institution, and handle these through your estate.
Tell the people you chose
Have a brief conversation. Let them know what you have set up, where your plan is, and what you want done. Your digital legacy plan is the natural place to record this.
Review it
People's lives change. Check your choices during your yearly password check-up.