An Apple account holds a great deal: photos, messages, notes, contacts, and the backups of your devices. Apple has a free feature, Digital Legacy, that lets you name someone you trust to reach that data after your death. That person is your Legacy Contact.
What it is
Digital Legacy is an Apple feature. You choose one or more people as Legacy Contacts. After you pass away, those people can ask Apple for access to the data in your account. They do not need an Apple device or an Apple account of their own. While you are alive, you can add or remove a Legacy Contact at any time.
What you need first
- An Apple device running iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2, or macOS Monterey 12.1 or later. Update the device first if you are not sure.
- Two-factor authentication turned on for your Apple account. This is the extra step where Apple sends a six-digit code to a device you trust when you sign in on a new device.
- Someone you trust, who is over 13 (the age varies by country or region). You will need their phone number or email address.
Setting it up on iPhone or iPad, step by step
- Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap your name at the top of the screen.
- Tap Sign-In & Security, then tap Legacy Contact.
- Tap Add Legacy Contact. You may need Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
- Choose the person. If you are in a Family Sharing group, you can pick a member. Or tap Choose Someone Else and add someone from your contacts by phone number or email.
- Share the access key. Send it by iMessage or print a copy, and keep a record of where it is.
- Confirm. Apple sends you an email when a Legacy Contact is added. You are done.
On a Mac, the same setting is under the Apple menu, then System Settings, then your name, then Sign-In & Security, then Legacy Contact.
The access key
When you add a Legacy Contact, Apple creates an access key. This is a special code your Legacy Contact will need. You can send it by iMessage, which stores a copy on their device if they accept, or print a copy, a PDF, or a screenshot. Many people also save a copy with their estate planning documents.
The key is needed twice: once to make the request, and again when they sign in to the special Legacy Contact account Apple creates. Apple may also ask for it to open end-to-end encrypted data, such as health data and voice memos.
If you need the key again later, you can find it on your device. Open Settings, tap your name, tap Sign-In & Security, then Legacy Contact, and tap the person's name. Tap View Access Key. If the person is nearby, they can scan the QR code with their own device, or you can print another copy.
Treat the access key like a spare house key. Apple cannot replace it if it is lost, and Apple cannot read your data for you, so the key is what makes access possible.
What your Legacy Contact can and cannot access
If Apple approves their request, a Legacy Contact can reach:
- iCloud Photos
- Notes, Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders
- Messages in iCloud and Call history
- Files stored in iCloud Drive
- Health data and Voice Memos
- Safari bookmarks and Reading List
- The contents of an iCloud backup
A Legacy Contact cannot reach:
- Movies, music, and books you purchased
- Subscriptions and in-app purchases
- Payment information for your Apple Account or Apple Pay
- Anything stored in iCloud Keychain, such as saved passwords, passkeys, and Wi-Fi passwords
How your Legacy Contact requests access after a death
They need two things: the access key and your death certificate. They can begin the request on their own Apple device: Settings, their name, Sign-In & Security, Legacy Contact, your name, then Request Access. Or they can start on the web at digital-legacy.apple.com. Apple reviews and verifies each request before approving it. The documents required can vary by country or region.
After Apple approves the request, it creates a special Legacy Contact account for them. Your original account no longer works. Devices that used your account have Activation Lock removed, and those devices must be erased before they can be set up again. Activation Lock is Apple's theft protection that ties a device to the account that set it up.
They sign in to that Legacy Contact account at icloud.com to see the data, and they can download a copy of the account data at privacy.apple.com. If you had Advanced Data Protection turned on, they must also sign in on an Apple device, because that setting keeps the data locked with your own device.
If there is no Legacy Contact, family members can still ask Apple for access to a deceased person's account. That path usually needs legal documents, such as a death certificate and sometimes a court order. The Legacy Contact route is simpler, which is why it is worth setting up in advance.
The time window
Access lasts for a limited time: three years from the date Apple approves the first Legacy Contact request. After that, the account is permanently deleted. It is a good idea to download anything worth keeping during those three years, rather than at the last moment. If you named more than one Legacy Contact, any one of them can make decisions, including deleting the account.
Quick check: can a Legacy Contact get your saved passwords?
No. Saved passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and payment information live in iCloud Keychain, which a Legacy Contact cannot open. Purchased movies, music, and books are out of reach too. They can reach things like photos, notes, messages, Mail, and files in iCloud Drive.
Try this today
On your iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Sign-In & Security, then Legacy Contact. Add one person you trust. Then print a copy of the access key and keep it with your estate planning papers, so it is easy to find when it is needed.