A dear friend of mine passed away unexpectedly, recently. His iPhone was locked; his family did not have the password. His social and financial world existed on the iPhone. When someone passes away, their family faces the daunting task of managing dozens of digital accounts—from email and social media to cloud storage filled with precious memories. What many people don’t realize is that major technology platforms have developed built-in tools specifically designed to help families navigate this digital maze.
These “legacy features” can be the difference between preserving your digital life and watching it disappear forever. Yet studies show that fewer than 5% of users have activated these critical safeguards. Here’s everything you need to know about platform legacy features and how to use them as part of your estate planning strategy.
What Are Platform Legacy Features?
Platform legacy features are built-in tools that allow you to designate trusted contacts who can access or manage your digital accounts after your death. These features work within each platform’s terms of service and privacy policies, providing a legitimate pathway for family members to handle your digital assets without violating platform rules or privacy laws.
Why These Features Matter:
- They operate within legal frameworks established by the platforms
- They can prevent permanent account lockouts
- They provide faster access than court-ordered procedures
- They respect your privacy choices during your lifetime
- They offer alternatives to sharing passwords (which violates most platform terms)
Major Platform Legacy Features: A Comprehensive Guide
Google Legacy Contact (Inactive Account Manager)
Google’s Inactive Account Manager is one of the most comprehensive legacy programs available, covering Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive, YouTube, and other Google services.
How It Works:
- Set an inactivity period (3, 6, 12, or 18 months)
- Designate up to 10 trusted contacts
- Choose which data each contact can access
- Send an optional message to contacts when the feature activates
What Your Contacts Can Access:
- Download data from Gmail, Photos, Drive, and other services
- Receive notification when your account becomes inactive
- Access specific data you’ve pre-approved
Setting It Up:
- Go to myaccount.google.com
- Click “Data & Privacy”
- Select “Make a plan for your digital legacy”
- Follow the setup wizard to add contacts and preferences
Pro Tip: Google will send you alerts before activating the feature, giving you a chance to reset the timer if you’re simply taking a digital break.
Facebook Legacy Contact
Facebook allows you to designate a legacy contact who can manage your memorialized account, preserving your digital presence while respecting your memory.
What Legacy Contacts Can Do:
- Write a pinned post for your memorialized profile
- Respond to new friend requests
- Update your profile picture and cover photo
- Download a copy of what you’ve shared (if you’ve given permission)
- Request account deletion (if you’ve specified this preference)
What They Cannot Do:
- Log into your account
- Read your private messages
- Remove or change previous posts
- Add new friends on your behalf
Setting It Up:
- Go to Settings & Privacy → Settings
- Click “Memorialization Settings”
- Choose a legacy contact from your friends list
- Decide whether they can download your information
Apple Digital Legacy Program
Apple’s Digital Legacy feature allows designated contacts to access your Apple ID account, including iCloud data, after your death.
What Legacy Contacts Can Access:
- Photos stored in iCloud
- Notes, calendars, and reminders
- Files stored in iCloud Drive
- Health data and other personal information
- Some app data
What’s Not Included:
- Licensed media (movies, music, books)
- Payment information
- Passwords stored in iCloud Keychain
Setting It Up:
- Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad
- Tap your name, then “Sign-In & Security”
- Select “Legacy Contact”
- Choose a contact and generate an access key
- Share the access key with your designated contact
Important: Your legacy contact will need both the access key and a death certificate to access your account.
Microsoft Next of Kin Process
Microsoft handles posthumous account access through their Next of Kin process, which applies to Outlook, OneDrive, Skype, and other Microsoft services.
What Family Members Can Access:
- Email content and contacts
- Files stored in OneDrive
- Skype chat history and contacts
The Process: Microsoft requires family members to complete a detailed request form and provide:
- Death certificate
- Proof of relationship to the deceased
- Identification documents
- Specific information about the account
Limitations: Microsoft doesn’t offer a pre-death setup option like other platforms. Family members must go through the formal request process after death.
Instagram Memorialization
Instagram, owned by Meta, offers account memorialization with some legacy contact features.
Available Options:
- Account memorialization (adds “Remembering” to the profile)
- Account deletion (requires immediate family member request)
- Data download (through Facebook’s legacy contact if accounts are linked)
Setting It Up:
- Links to Facebook’s legacy contact system if accounts are connected
- Otherwise, requires family member requests with documentation
LinkedIn Profile Memorialization
LinkedIn focuses on preserving professional legacies through profile memorialization.
What Happens:
- Profile remains visible with “LinkedIn Member” designation
- Professional accomplishments and connections preserved
- No new activity or messaging allowed
Process: Family members or colleagues must request memorialization with appropriate documentation.
Twitter/X Memorial Accounts
Twitter (now X) handles memorialization through family requests rather than pre-setup options.
Family Must Provide:
- Death certificate
- Proof of relationship
- Account information
Result: Account may be memorialized or deleted based on family preferences.
Platform-Specific Digital Assets to Consider
Streaming Services and Digital Media
Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime: These services typically don’t offer legacy features. Consider whether subscriptions should continue temporarily for family access to shared watchlists or playlists.
iTunes, Kindle, Audible: Digital media purchases are generally non-transferable. Document what your family should expect regarding access to these libraries.
Financial Platforms
PayPal, Venmo, Cash App: These require formal estate procedures and don’t offer consumer legacy features. Document these accounts for your executor.
Cryptocurrency Exchanges: Most exchanges have formal procedures for account succession but don’t offer pre-setup legacy features. Some require specific documentation in your estate plan.
Integrating Legacy Features with Your Estate Plan
Platform legacy features should complement, not replace, comprehensive estate planning for digital assets.
Best Practices:
Document Everything: Keep a record of which legacy features you’ve activated, who you’ve designated, and what access you’ve granted.
Coordinate with Estate Documents: Inform your executor about activated legacy features and how they fit into your overall digital asset plan.
Update Regularly: Review and update legacy contacts after major life events like marriage, divorce, or death of designated contacts.
Educate Your Contacts: Make sure your designated legacy contacts understand their role and responsibilities.
Consider Multiple Contacts: For important accounts, consider designating multiple contacts or backup options.
Limitations and Considerations
Platform Policy Changes: Terms of service can change, potentially affecting legacy features. Stay informed about updates to platforms you use.
Geographic Restrictions: Some features may not be available in all countries or may have different capabilities based on location.
Data Retention Limits: Platforms may only retain data for specific periods, making timely activation crucial.
Limited Business Account Support: Most legacy features focus on personal accounts. Business accounts often require separate succession planning.
No Universal Solution: Each platform handles digital legacy differently, requiring individual setup and management.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming Family Can Access Accounts: Without proper setup, platforms will typically lock accounts permanently rather than grant access to family members.
Not Updating Contact Information: Legacy contacts must be able to receive notifications and provide required documentation.
Forgetting Platform-Specific Requirements: Each platform has different setup procedures and access requirements.
Overlooking Privacy Settings: Some legacy features require you to explicitly grant permission for data download or sharing.
Not Communicating with Designated Contacts: Legacy contacts should know they’ve been designated and understand the platform’s procedures.
Setting Up Your Digital Legacy Plan
Start with High-Priority Accounts:
- Email providers (often the key to other account recovery)
- Cloud storage with important files or photos
- Social media with significant content or connections
- Photo storage services
Create a Legacy Feature Checklist:
- [ ] Google Inactive Account Manager activated
- [ ] Facebook Legacy Contact designated
- [ ] Apple Digital Legacy setup completed
- [ ] Other platform-specific features configured
- [ ] Legacy contacts informed and educated
- [ ] Estate planning documents updated to reference legacy features
Maintain Your Setup:
- Review settings annually
- Update after major life changes
- Test contact information periodically
- Stay informed about new platform features
The Future of Platform Legacy Features
As awareness of digital estate planning grows, expect platforms to expand and improve their legacy offerings. Emerging trends include:
Enhanced Integration: Better coordination between related services and platforms
Improved User Control: More granular options for what can be accessed and by whom
Streamlined Processes: Simpler setup procedures and clearer instructions for family members
Business Account Features: Development of legacy options for professional and business accounts
Taking Action: Your Next Steps
Platform legacy features provide an important safety net for your digital assets, but they work best as part of a comprehensive digital estate plan.
Immediate Actions:
- Audit your most important digital accounts
- Activate available legacy features on high-priority platforms
- Designate appropriate contacts and inform them of their role
- Document your choices for your estate planning attorney
Ongoing Responsibilities:
- Keep legacy contact information current
- Review and update designations annually
- Stay informed about new platform features
- Coordinate with your overall estate planning strategy
Remember: Platform legacy features are tools, not complete solutions. They should complement professional estate planning that addresses the full scope of your digital assets and ensures proper legal protection for your family.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. The few minutes you invest in setting up these features today could save your family hours of frustration and potentially prevent the permanent loss of irreplaceable digital memories and important account access.
Platform terms and features change frequently. This information is current as of the publication date but should be verified with each platform’s current policies. Consult with an estate planning attorney to ensure platform legacy features are properly integrated with your comprehensive estate plan.
Need help coordinating your digital legacy planning? Contact our office to discuss how platform legacy features fit into your overall estate planning strategy.