Most people assume that if something happens to them, their family can simply contact Google, Apple, or Facebook and explain the situation. In practice, this almost never works quickly or fully. These platforms handle enormous volumes of fraud attempts and impersonation, so their default response to any account-access request is caution, not cooperation. The only reliable workaround is one you set up yourself, in advance, while you still control the account.
All three platforms covered here offer a free, built-in way to do this. None of them take more than a few minutes.
Legacy access has to be configured while you're alive and logged in — it can't be granted retroactively by a family member, no matter how much documentation they have. If you skip this step, the account isn't unlocked later. It's simply inaccessible, or handled entirely at the platform's discretion.
Google — Inactive Account Manager
Google's system lets you choose trusted people who get notified — and optionally receive your data — after your account has been inactive for a period of time you set yourself. It also lets you set up an automatic account deletion after that same period.
Choose your timeout period
This is how long your account must be inactive before anything happens — commonly set between 3 and 18 months. Choose a period long enough to rule out a normal vacation or a broken phone.
Add up to 10 trusted contacts
Each one can be notified automatically and, if you choose, given access to specific Google services like Photos, Gmail, or Drive. You control exactly what each contact can see.
Decide whether to auto-delete the account
You can have Google permanently delete your account and its content after the timeout, instead of or in addition to notifying contacts. Think carefully before enabling this — it's irreversible.
Write an optional message
Google lets you leave a short note that gets sent to each contact — useful for pointing them toward your broader instructions, such as where your full digital inheritance letter is stored.
Apple — Legacy Contact
Apple's Legacy Contact feature, available on modern iOS versions, lets a chosen person access the data in your Apple ID — photos, messages, notes, and more — after your death, using a physical access key and a death certificate. It does not grant access to certain protected categories like stored payment methods or licensed media such as purchased movies and books.
Add a Legacy Contact in Settings
Choose someone with an Apple device if possible — the process is smoother when the access key can be shared directly through iMessage.
Share or print the access key
Apple generates a unique access key for this contact. If shared digitally, it's stored on their device automatically. You can also print it and store it somewhere secure as a backup.
Tell them what the role involves
When the time comes, your contact will need the access key plus a copy of your death certificate to submit a request to Apple. Let them know this in advance so it isn't a surprise.
Facebook & Instagram — Legacy Contact
Facebook lets you assign a Legacy Contact who can manage a memorialized version of your profile — pinning a tribute post, responding to new friend requests, and updating your profile picture. They cannot log in as you or read your private messages. Alternatively, you can set your account to be permanently deleted instead of memorialized.
Choose memorialize or delete
Memorializing keeps your profile as a space for friends and family to visit. Deletion removes it entirely once the platform confirms the account holder has died.
Assign your Legacy Contact
Pick someone from your friends list. They'll receive a notification letting them know they've been chosen, along with a short explanation of what the role means.
Check Instagram separately
Instagram accounts are memorialized similarly but are typically reported by a family member after the fact rather than pre-assigned to a legacy contact — check Instagram's current settings under Accounts Center if you use it actively.
A few things worth doing right after you finish
- Tell your contacts directly. A notification from Google or Apple months or years from now, out of context, can be confusing. A short conversation now avoids that.
- Write down which platforms you've set this up on. If you use several email providers or social platforms, keep a simple list so nothing gets missed.
- Revisit it yearly. Trusted contacts change. A falling-out, a move, or a lost relationship should prompt you to update who's assigned.
Free Tool
Keep track of every account you've set this up on
The Digital Assets Inheritance Planner gives you one place to document which platforms have a legacy contact configured, along with everything else your family will need — and generates a clean instruction letter for them. Runs entirely in your browser.
Common questions
What happens if I don't set up a legacy contact anywhere?
Can I set up a legacy contact without telling them?
Does a legacy contact get my passwords?
Do I need to redo this if I get a new phone or email?
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Platform features, menu locations, and policies change over time and may vary by region — always confirm current steps directly on each platform before relying on them.