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    Set Up Trusted Contacts for Account Recovery

    Add a family member as a trusted contact so you never get permanently locked out of your Apple or Google account if you forget your password.

    3 min read · 6 steps · Checked July 2026

    1. Step 1. Apple: open Account Recovery settings

      On an iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, then "Sign-In & Security," then "Account Recovery." Tap "Add Recovery Contact" and follow the prompts to choose someone from your Contacts who also has an iPhone or iPad.

    2. Step 2. Apple: the recovery contact confirms

      The person you choose gets a notification asking them to accept. Once accepted, if you're ever locked out of your Apple ID, you can call them. And they can generate a special recovery code from their own device to help you back in. They never see your password.

      Quick Tip

      You can also set up a Legacy Contact at the same screen, which is different. It lets a trusted person access your account's data after you pass away, rather than helping with a forgotten password.

    3. Step 3. Google: add a recovery phone and email

      On a computer, go to myaccount.google.com/security and look for "Recovery phone" and "Recovery email." Add a phone number and a second email address (not your main Gmail) that you can access if you're ever locked out of this account.

    4. Step 4. Google: consider Inactive Account Manager

      Further down the Google security page is "Inactive Account Manager," where you can name someone to be notified and given access to specific parts of your account (like Photos) if you don't log in for a set period of time, such as 12 months — useful for making sure family photos aren't lost.

    5. Step 5. Write down and store recovery information safely

      Keep a written note in a safe place (not saved as a photo on your phone) listing which family member is your Apple recovery contact and which phone/email you used for Google recovery. If your memory of passwords is ever a concern, a trusted family member having this information ready saves hours of frustration.

    6. Step 6. Test that it works

      Ask your recovery contact to confirm they received and accepted the invitation. You don't need to actually lock yourself out to test it — just confirming the invite was accepted is enough to know the safety net is in place.

    One of the most stressful tech problems is getting locked out of an Apple ID or Google account with no way back in. It can mean losing access to years of photos, emails, and contacts. Both Apple and Google offer a free feature that solves this ahead of time: a Recovery Contact (Apple) or a way to add a trusted phone/email (Google) that can help you get back in if you're ever locked out, without needing to remember complicated security questions from years ago.

    Setting this up before there's a problem takes about five minutes and is one of the single most useful things you can do to protect years of family photos and memories. It works especially well when an adult child or trusted family member is the recovery contact, since they can help walk you through the process if you ever do get locked out.

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