Ensuring Your Digital Legacy is Preserved
In our modern digital lives, our smartphones hold decades of irreplaceable memories, from family photographs and text messages to important notes and documents. But what happens to all that data if you unexpectedly pass away? In the past, grieving families were often locked out of a deceased loved one’s Apple account permanently, as Apple’s strict privacy policies prevented them from bypassing the passcode or password.
To solve this heartbreaking problem, Apple introduced the Legacy Contact feature. This tool allows you to designate a trusted family member or friend who can legally and securely request access to your Apple ID data after you pass away. They will receive a unique access key, which, when combined with a death certificate, allows them to recover your photos, messages, notes, files, device backups, and more.
Setting this up takes less than five minutes, and it is one of the most important administrative tasks you can do for your family.
What a Legacy Contact Can and Cannot Access
Before you choose someone, it is helpful to understand exactly what they will be able to see once they activate their access key.
They CAN access:
- iCloud Photos and videos
- Notes, Voice Memos, and Contacts
- Calendars and Reminders
- Messages in iCloud (iMessage and SMS)
- iCloud Drive files and documents
- Device backups
They CANNOT access:
- Passwords stored in iCloud Keychain
- Licensed media you purchased (like movies, books, or music)
- Payment information and Apple Pay details
How to Add a Legacy Contact on an iPhone or iPad
To add a Legacy Contact from your mobile device, you must be running iOS 15.2 or later, and you must have Two-Factor Authentication enabled for your Apple ID.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on your name at the very top of the screen to open your Apple ID settings.
- Tap on Sign-In & Security (or Password & Security on older iOS versions).
- Scroll down and tap on Legacy Contact.
- Tap the blue Add Legacy Contact button. You may be prompted to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.
- If you use Apple’s Family Sharing feature, the system will suggest your family members first. You can select one of them, or tap Choose Someone Else to select anyone from your Contacts list.
- Once you select a contact, tap Continue.
- The system will generate an Access Key. This key is incredibly important—your contact will need it later.
How to Share the Access Key
After generating the key, your iPhone will ask how you want to share it with your chosen contact.
- Print a Copy: This is highly recommended. You can print the Access Key on a physical piece of paper and keep it securely with your estate planning documents or in a fireproof safe.
- Send a Message: If the person you chose also has an Apple device running iOS 15.2 or later, you can send them a text message. If they accept, a copy of the Access Key will automatically be stored securely inside their own Apple ID settings. If they are on an older device or an Android phone, they will just receive a text message with the key, which they will need to save manually.
How to Remove a Legacy Contact
If relationships change or you made a mistake, you can revoke someone’s Legacy Contact status at any time. They will not be notified that you removed them.
- Go back to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign-In & Security > Legacy Contact.
- Tap on the name of the person you want to remove.
- Tap Remove Contact.
Their access key will immediately be invalidated, and they will no longer be able to request access to your account in the future.
