By Tim O. · October 30, 2026 · 12 min read

Set Up a Legacy Contact So Your Family Can Get In

Last verified: October 30, 2026

The 30-second version

When someone dies, their family usually can't get into their phone, email, photos, or accounts, even with a death certificate in hand. Apple, Google, and Facebook each let you name someone ahead of time to get access. It takes about 10 minutes per service.

But there's a gap most people miss: neither Apple's Legacy Contact nor Google's digital legacy settings pass on your saved passwords. Your family can get your photos and files, but not the logins to your bank, utilities, or email. For that, you need a password manager with emergency access, or a written plan.

This page covers all of it, in order.

Apple Legacy Contact (iPhone, iPad, Mac)

What it gives your family

After your death, your Legacy Contact can request access to data stored in your Apple Account, such as photos, messages, notes, files, and device backups (Apple).

What it doesn't give them: passwords, passkeys, and payment information stored in iCloud Keychain, or movies, music, books, and subscriptions you bought. That's why the password section below matters.

How to set it up on iPhone

You need iOS 15.2 or later.

Open Settings and tap your name.
Tap Sign-In & Security, then Legacy Contact.
Tap Add Legacy Contact and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
Choose a Family Sharing member, or tap Choose Someone Else and pick a contact.
Share the access key: send it by iMessage, or print a copy.

Your contact doesn't need an iPhone or an Apple Account. You can add more than one person.

The access key matters

To request access, your Legacy Contact needs two things: the access key and your death certificate (Apple). If you print the key, keep it with your important papers and tell your contact where it is. If they can't find it, the simple route is gone.

Google: Your digital legacy (Inactive Account Manager)

Google works differently. Instead of a request after death, it watches for inactivity. If you stop using your account for a period you choose, Google notifies the people you named and, if you allowed it, sends them a link to download the data you picked (Google). Google now calls this page Your digital legacy; the older name, Inactive Account Manager, still works in search.

How to set it up

Go to myaccount.google.com/inactive.
Under Who will download your data, tap Add data recipient. You can add up to 10 people, and choose what each one can download.
Under When this will happen, choose how long Google waits: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, or 18 months of inactivity. It starts at 3 months. A longer wait means fewer false alarms if you simply take a break from your account.
Under Delete your Google Account, decide whether Google should delete the account after it shares your data. This is off unless you turn it on.
Under Settings, check your reminder and contact details so Google can reach you before anything happens.

Your contacts hear nothing until the waiting period ends. They verify with a phone number before they can download anything.

One thing to know: this shares copies of your data, such as Gmail, Photos, Drive, Calendar, and Contacts. It doesn't let anyone sign in as you, and when we checked, Google Password Manager was not on the list of data you can share. If your passwords live in Google Password Manager, your family won't get them this way.

Facebook legacy contact

A Facebook legacy contact looks after your profile once it's memorialized. They can pin a tribute post, update the profile and cover photos, and respond to friend requests. They can't log in as you or read your private messages (Funeral.com, January 2026).

To set it up: go to Settings & privacy, then Settings, then Memorialization settings, and choose one person. You can also choose to have your account deleted after your death instead. Facebook moves these menus from time to time, so if you don't see it, search Settings for "memorialization."

The gap: your passwords

None of these services give your family the logins to your bank, utilities, insurance, email, or subscriptions. Those are the accounts that matter most when someone is settling an estate, and they're often the hardest to reach.

You have two ways to close the gap.

Option 1: A password manager with emergency access

Several password managers let you name trusted people who can request access to your vault. You set a waiting period. If you're fine and the request is a mistake, you deny it. If you don't respond, they get in when the wait ends.

Manager	Emergency access	Plan needed
Keeper	Up to 5 contacts; wait from immediately to 3 months; read-only (they can see, not change or delete)	Personal or Family
Proton	Up to 5 contacts; wait from 1 to 30 days; access to Proton passwords, email, and files	Any paid Proton plan
NordPass	Trusted contacts; fixed 7-day wait; view passwords and notes	Premium or Family
Bitwarden	Trusted contacts; wait you choose (minimum 1 day); view only or full takeover	Premium or Families

Sources: Keeper, Proton, NordPass, Bitwarden. In all four, your trusted contact needs an account with the same service (for Proton, a Proton Mail address). A free account works for Bitwarden and NordPass.

Affiliate disclosure: some links below are affiliate links. Keeper is currently a paid sponsor of SafePasswordGenerator.net. If you buy through the links on this page, SPG earns a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what I recommend. Bitwarden has no affiliate link here on purpose.

Which one fits:

Keeper suits families who want the safest default for an older parent. Contacts get read-only access, so nothing can be accidentally changed or deleted, and you can set a different wait for each person. Keeper is currently a paid sponsor of SafePasswordGenerator.net.
Proton suits people who already use Proton Mail or Proton Pass. One invitation can cover passwords, email, and files across Proton's apps.
NordPass has the simplest setup: a fixed 7-day wait, with nothing to configure.
Bitwarden is the low-cost option if you're comfortable with a more technical app.

Option 2: A written plan, stored safely

If you don't use a password manager, write down the accounts that matter, how to reach them, and who should handle each one. Keep it with your will or other estate papers.

Two cautions:

Don't put passwords in your will. A will can become a public record once it goes through probate. Keep the list in a separate sealed document or a locked box, and tell your executor where it is.
Keep it current. A list from five years ago is often useless. Review it once a year.

A 30-minute plan for you and your parents

Do this together, for each person:

Apple: add a Legacy Contact and store the access key with your important papers.
Google: set up Inactive Account Manager with at least one person.
Facebook: choose a legacy contact, or choose deletion.
Passwords: turn on emergency access in your password manager, or write the account list.
Tell people. Let each contact know they've been named and where to find the access key or account list.

If you're helping a parent who still keeps passwords in a notebook, see moving from a password notebook to a password manager. While you're at it, set up recovery contacts too. Those help if your parent gets locked out while they're still alive, which happens far more often.

If someone has already died without a plan

It's still possible to get some access, but it takes paperwork and time, and none of these companies will hand over a password.

Apple. Without a Legacy Contact, Apple asks for legal documentation. In the US, that means a court order naming you as the rightful heir to the person's personal information, and only one person can request access. Even then, some data is end-to-end encrypted and Apple can't decrypt it. Apple can remove a forgotten device passcode only by erasing the device. If you have a court order, start with Apple Support. If you'd rather close the account, Apple has a separate deletion request (Apple).

Google. Immediate family members and representatives can ask Google to close the account, release funds from it, or provide data from it (Google). Google reviews each request and says it "cannot provide passwords or other login details." Ask for the data before closing the account: once it's closed, Google can't release the contents later.

Facebook. Anyone can ask Facebook to memorialize the profile of someone who has died. Only immediate family or an executor can ask for it to be removed. Expect to provide proof of death, such as a death certificate or obituary. Facebook won't give out login details for any account, even in these circumstances. To start, go to Facebook's Help Center and search for Request to Memorialize or Remove an Account (Everloved).

Frequently asked questions

What is a legacy contact?

Someone you name ahead of time who can request access to your account data after you die. Apple, Google, and Facebook each have their own version, and each one gives different levels of access.

Does Apple Legacy Contact give access to passwords?

No. Apple says Legacy Contacts can't access data in iCloud Keychain, which includes passwords, passkeys, and payment information. Use a password manager's emergency access feature or a written account list for those.

Does my legacy contact need an iPhone?

No. They don't need an Apple device or an Apple Account to be named. They will need the access key and your death certificate to request access.

Can I have more than one legacy contact?

On Apple, yes, and each one can make decisions about your data on their own. Google lets you name up to 10 people. Facebook allows one legacy contact.

Is it safe to give someone emergency access to my password manager?

With a waiting period, yes. You get notified when they request access and can deny it. Choose people you trust, and pick a wait long enough that you'd notice a request, such as a week or more.

The short version

Add a legacy contact on Apple, Google, and Facebook. Then cover the gap they leave: your passwords. Turn on emergency access in your password manager, or keep a written account list separate from your will. Tell the people you named where to find what they'll need.

Get the weekly password security brief

One breach, one fix, every week. No fluff.

Unsubscribe anytime. We never sell your email.

Sources

Checked October 30, 2026.

Written by Tim O.

I write about password security and everyday account safety at SafePasswordGenerator.net, for people who want practical steps rather than fear for its own sake.