Did you know the only way to access a deceased person’s iPhone (legally) is through a court order or other legal documentation? Both of these options sound time-consuming and stressful, but is there another option?
Yes! One option is to assign a Legacy Contact to your mobile phone. This feature allows you to specify who can access your information after you pass away. This can include access to messages, notes, photos, files, apps you have downloaded, and more. If you are assigned as the Legacy Contact for a family member, as an example, all you need is the unique access key that was created when you were added as the Legacy Contact and their death certificate. A request for access can be initiated on the device or on the Digital Legacy – Request Access page.
Our phones are an essential tool to our everyday lives and most of us save everything to these devices from cherished photos to important files. By implementing the use of a Legacy Contact, you can simplify the process of getting access to a deceased person’s important information
How to set a Legacy Contact (iPhone):
- Go to Settings, then tap your name.
- Tap Sign-In & Security.
- Tap Legacy Contact.
- Tap Add Legacy Contact.
How to set up a Legacy Contact (Android):
- Sign in to your Google account
- Go to Google account settings.
- Click Data & privacy in the sidebar.
- Click More options.
- Select Make a plan for your digital legacy and click Start.
- Choose whether you want your Google account to be set as inactive after 3, 6, 12, or 18 month