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    Digital Legacy Setup

    A gift to your family. 30 minutes today saves them weeks later.

    Why this matters

    When someone dies, their photos, emails, and Facebook posts often get locked behind passwords no one knows. Apple, Google, and Facebook now let you pre-name a "legacy contact" — a family member who can access (or memorialize) your accounts after you're gone.

    Apple Legacy Contact

    Lets a family member access your iCloud photos, notes, contacts, and messages after you pass.

    1. On iPhone: Settings → tap your name at top → Sign-In & Security.
    2. Tap Legacy Contact.
    3. Tap Add Legacy Contact → pick a person from your contacts (must have an Apple ID).
    4. Apple generates an "access key" — a long code. Send it to them now (Messages, AirDrop, or print it).
    5. Print a backup of the access key and tell your family where to find it (with your will, ideally).
    6. Pick more than one contact if you can.

    After you pass, that person uses the access key + a death certificate at Apple's website to unlock your account.

    Google Inactive Account Manager

    Tells Google what to do if you don't sign in for a chosen length of time (3, 6, 12, or 18 months).

    1. Go to myaccount.google.com/inactive.
    2. Sign in. Click "Start".
    3. Choose how long Google should wait before considering you inactive (most people pick 12 months).
    4. Add up to 10 trusted contacts. Pick one or two close family members.
    5. Choose what each gets access to: emails, photos, drive, calendar.
    6. Optionally set Gmail to auto-reply when you become inactive ("Sorry, this account is no longer in use…").
    7. Decide if you want Google to delete the account after this — many people leave that off.
    8. Save.

    If you don't sign in for the period you chose, Google emails your contacts with a download link.

    Facebook Legacy Contact

    1. Open Facebook → tap your photo → Settings & privacy → Settings.
    2. Search for "Legacy Contact" or find it under Personal and account information.
    3. Pick one Facebook friend to manage your memorialized account.
    4. Choose if they can download a copy of your data and posts.

    After you pass, your account is "memorialized" — friends can post tributes, but no one can log in. Your legacy contact can pin a final post and update your photo.

    Other accounts to think about

    • Password manager — most (1Password, Bitwarden) have an "Emergency Access" feature where one designated family member can request access after a waiting period.
    • Bank, brokerage, retirement — make sure each has a beneficiary listed. Login info goes in your will or a sealed envelope with your attorney.
    • Email-based two-factor — make sure your legacy contact will be able to access your phone number and primary email, or two-factor will lock them out.
    • Photo cloud (iCloud, Google Photos, Amazon Photos) — a legacy contact covers iCloud and Google. For Amazon, currently no legacy program — store backup copies elsewhere.
    • Subscriptions — keep a list of monthly subscriptions so family can cancel them.

    Don't forget the paper

    Write down your phone passcode, computer password, and the names of the people you've set up as legacy contacts. Put it in a sealed envelope with your will, or somewhere your spouse and adult children know to look. Update once a year.