What Happens To Your Apple iCloud Account If You Die
There is a saying that there are only 2 things in life that you can count on: “Death and Taxes”. Today’s post will go over what you need to do before 1 of those things happens. In this case, what happens to your Apple iCloud information if you die? We will review setting up your Legacy Apple iCloud Account if you pass.
What Does Your Legacy Contact Have Access To
Unless you set up a legacy contact, your iCloud digital world would be permanently unavailable to your loved ones. What is included in your iCloud Data that a Legacy Contact can access:
- iCloud Photos
- Notes
- Contacts
- Calendars
- Reminders
- Messages in iCloud
- Call History
- Files stored in iCloud Drive
- Health Data
- Voice Memos
- Safari Bookmarks and Reading Lists
- Anything included in an iCloud Backup, which might include access to information about which apps they downloaded from the App Store; photos and videos stored on device; device settings and other content backed up in iCloud
Setting Up Legacy Apple iCloud Account
Adding a Legacy Contact allows you to control and give access to someone you trust to your iCloud account after you die. You are able to add more than 1 person as a Legacy Contact via account settings on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Once they are added, you will receive an email confirmation that you have a Legacy Contact in place.
Anyone you add as a Legacy Contact can make decisions about your data after you die, including the opportunity to permanently delete your data. To add a Legacy Contact:
- On your iPhone, iPad, or Mac
- Go to Settings, then tap your name.
- Tap Sign-In & Security, then tap Legacy Contact. (You may need to scroll down to see it)
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- If you’re in a Family Sharing group, you can choose a group member. Or you can tap Choose Someone Else to add someone from your Contacts using their phone number or email address.
Choose how to share the access key with your Legacy Contact. Depending on the devices that your Legacy Contact owns, you might see different options for how to share.
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Send an iMessage: You can notify your Legacy Contact with an iMessage when you add them. If they accept, their device automatically stores a copy of the access key in their Apple Account settings.
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Print a Copy: You might choose to give your Legacy Contact a physical copy of the access key. You can print a copy and give it to them, send a PDF or screenshot of the page, or save a copy with your estate planning documents.
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Key Points To Keep In Mind
Make sure your Legacy Contact has a copy of the access key; that is EXTREMELY important. Your Legacy Contact must have both the access key and your death certificate to request access after you pass away.
In addition, your Legacy Contact will NOT get access to:
- Purchased content, such as movies, music, and books
- Subscriptions and in-app purchases
- Payment information for Apple Account or Apple Pay
- Information stored in the account holder’s iCloud Keychain, such as user names and passwords entered in Safari, internet accounts (used in Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Messages), auto-fill credit card information, and Wi-Fi passwords
Final Thought
Everything in this day and age seems to be “In the cloud” or digital. If you want to make sure someone has access to that information once you are gone, you need to plan for it now. Once you are gone, it’s too late.
