Free checklist + fillable PDF
Digital Legacy Checklist: what happens to online accounts after death
Set up the legacy tools Apple, Google, Facebook and Instagram already offer, learn what the law lets an executor see, and list every account in one place.
Reviewed by the Linkora editorial teamUpdated October 202611 cited sources9 min read
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The digital footprint
Why your digital life needs a plan
Photos, messages, money and memories now live behind logins. A 2024 NordPass survey of its own users counted 168 personal passwords on average [10]. That's a password-manager audience, so your number may be smaller, but most of us have far more accounts than we could list from memory.
168
personal passwords on average among NordPass users, 2024 [10]
10
people you can name in Google's Inactive Account Manager [3]
3 years
for an Apple Legacy Contact to use their access before the account is deleted [2]
A password list alone isn't enough. Google says it cannot provide passwords or other login details [4], and no one can log into a memorialized Facebook or Instagram profile [5],[7]. The good news: the built-in tools take minutes to set up.
Free printable PDF
Get the Digital Legacy Checklist
A 13-page fillable PDF: legacy tool setup for each platform, your digital executor's details, a device list, a 22-row account inventory, money and subscriptions pages, and a step-by-step page for your family.
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15 minutes each
Set up the built-in legacy tools
Each of these takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Menu names change, so if you can't find one, search the app's settings for “legacy”.
| Platform | Tool | What your contact gets | Time limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | Legacy Contact (iOS 15.2 or later) [1] | Photos, messages, notes, files and backups. Not purchases or Keychain passwords [1] | Access lasts 3 years from approval, then the account is deleted [2] |
| Inactive Account Manager [3] | The data you choose, for up to 10 people [3] | Starts after the inactivity period you set. Inactive accounts can be deleted after 2 years [3] | |
| Legacy contact, or Delete After Death [5],[6] | Pinned post, profile photos, friend requests, a download if you allow it. Not messages [6] | None stated | |
| Legacy contact, or Delete After Death [7] | Management of the memorialized profile [7] | None stated | |
| Microsoft | No pre-planning tool [8] | Nothing automatic | Outlook.com and OneDrive freeze after 1 year; accounts close after 2 years inactive [8] |
Apple: Legacy Contact
On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security > Legacy Contact. You need iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2 or macOS Monterey 12.1 or later; your contact doesn't need an Apple device [1]. You can add more than one person, and any one of them can act alone [1].
After your death, your contact needs two things: the access key created when you named them, and your death certificate [1]. Apple suggests printing the key and keeping it with your estate planning documents [1]. Without a Legacy Contact, getting access is far harder.
Google: Inactive Account Manager
In your Google Account, open Inactive Account Manager. Choose how long Google should wait, then name up to 10 people and choose which data each one receives [3]. Your contacts verify a phone number before downloading [3]. Google may delete accounts that are inactive for at least two years [3].
Facebook and Instagram
On both, you can choose a legacy contact to look after a memorialized profile, or select Delete After Death [5],[7]. A memorialized profile shows “Remembering” next to the person's name, and no one can log in [5].
Microsoft
Microsoft has no tool to name someone in advance. If no one has the login, the account closes after two years of inactivity, and Outlook.com and OneDrive are frozen after one year [8]. Keep important files backed up somewhere your family can reach.
What an executor can see
The law in plain English: RUFADAA
Most states have adopted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, a model law that governs access to a person's online accounts when they die or can no longer manage them [9]. It was endorsed by groups including AARP, Facebook, Google and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys [9]. Your state's version may differ, so check it.
Generally reachable
- Files you stored online
- Web domains you own
- Virtual currency
Needs your written consent
- Text messages
- Social media messages and content
The act restricts a fiduciary's access to email, texts and social media unless you consented, and that consent can go in a will, trust, power of attorney or other record [9]. A platform's own tool, such as a legacy contact, is the clearest way to say what you want for that service.
The checklist
Build your digital account inventory
Use the interactive checklist below to work through the main platforms. Your progress saves in this browser. The PDF has a full inventory table with columns for the login email, two-factor method, legacy setting and your wish for each account.
Overall Progress
0 of 23 items completed
Social Media
Email & Communication
Cloud Storage & Photos
Financial & Subscriptions
Password Management
Platform policies change frequently. We verify these instructions periodically, but always check the platform's help center directly for the most current process. Your checklist progress is saved locally in your browser.
Access
Passwords, 2FA and the master key problem
The weak point in most digital plans is a single key: the phone that receives two-factor codes, or the master password to a password manager. If your family can't get past that, the rest of the list doesn't help.
- Turn on your password manager's emergency access feature, or store its recovery kit with your estate papers.
- Print two-factor backup codes for your main email account and keep them with the kit.
- For crypto, write down where a hardware wallet or recovery phrase is kept. Never write the phrase itself in a will or binder.
- Tell your digital executor where all of this is. Two people knowing is better than one.
For families
If someone has already died: what to do first
Take these steps in order. The most common mistake is closing an account before saving what's in it.
First days
Secure the devices
Keep phones and laptops charged and safe. Don't reset or trade them in: they may hold two-factor codes and photos.Check the plan
Use any legacy tools that were set up
Before closing anything
Download first
Then
Memorialize or delete social profiles
Within the first months
Cancel subscriptions and close money accounts
Financial accounts close through the estate. Family generally isn't responsible for the debts [11].
For the rest of the first weeks, our What to Do When Someone Dies guide covers paperwork, notifications and the funeral.
Legacy
Preserve the memories, not just the accounts
Accounts are logistics. The photos, voice messages and posts inside them are the part families keep. Export them while access exists: Apple's Legacy Contact window, for example, lasts three years [2]. Then decide where they'll live, so they aren't scattered across a dozen services.
FAQ
Questions about digital legacy
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Read all FAQs or ask us directly.
Important Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.
Last reviewed: October 7, 2026
Sources
Where these facts come from
- [1]How to add a Legacy Contact for your Apple Account · Apple Support
- [2]How to request access to a deceased family member's Apple Account as a Legacy Contact · Apple Support
- [3]About Inactive Account Manager · Google Account Help
- [4]Submit a request regarding a deceased user's account · Google Account Help
- [5]What happens to your Facebook profile if you pass away · Facebook Help Center (Meta)
- [6]Legacy contacts · Facebook Help Center (Meta)
- [7]Memorialized accounts and legacy contacts on Instagram · Instagram Help Center (Meta)
- [8]Accessing Outlook.com, OneDrive and other Microsoft services when someone has died · Microsoft Support
- [9]Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, Revised (RUFADAA) · Uniform Law Commission
- [10]People have around 170 passwords on average, study shows · NordPass press release via GlobeNewswire, 2024
- [11]Does a person's debt go away when they die? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Reviewed by the Linkora editorial team against the sources above. Last reviewed October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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