What Happens to Your Online Accounts (and Photos) When You’re Gone? Set Up a Legacy Contact Today
It’s not the most cheerful topic—but it’s an important one. Have you ever stopped to think about what happens to your online accounts when you’re no longer around?
In our increasingly digital lives, so much of our personal information—emails, documents, and especially precious photos—live in the cloud. Ensuring someone you trust can access these memories in the event of your death is a smart and caring step.
Thankfully, both Apple and Google offer easy ways to assign a Legacy Contact—a person you nominate to manage or access your digital account after you pass away.
Here’s how to set it up:
🔹 Apple Legacy Contact
Apple makes it simple to ensure a loved one can access your digital information when the time comes.
Steps to set it up:
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Follow Apple’s Legacy Contact guide for step-by-step instructions.
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Once added, the access key is securely saved to supported Apple devices automatically.
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You can assign multiple Legacy Contacts—they don’t even need to have an Apple account or device.
🔹 Google Inactive Account Manager
Google’s tool is called the Inactive Account Manager, and it allows you to manage what happens to your Google account after a period of inactivity.
How to set it up:
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Visit the Inactive Account Manager page and sign in.
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Click “Get Started” to begin setup.
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Choose one or more trusted contacts and define what data they can access.
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You can also choose to notify them before your account becomes inactive.
Why You Should Do This Now
Setting up a Legacy Contact only takes a few minutes, but it can save your loved ones a lot of difficulty later on. It also gives you peace of mind, knowing that your personal digital world will be handled according to your wishes.
If you’d like help setting up your Legacy Contact or have any other questions about managing your digital life, get in touch with the Tekkie Help team. We’re here to make tech simple, secure, and stress-free.