Legacy Contact to Access Smartphones and Tablets on Death

Nothing to do with financial planning or tax planning on death or serious illness but a must do when planning for death or loss of capacity is to ensure your loved ones can access your data, smartphone, tablet and social media should the unfortunate happen.

Many of us have seen family and/or friends pass away or lose capacity but what about all that data saved on your computer, mobile phone or on Facebook?

• Bank details.
• Investment and pensions.
• Photographs and videos.
• Access to social media and all memories stored there.
• Contact details of family, friends and more.

Make sure you have a file saved/shared or note of passwords or PINs for nominated family, friends, executors, or attorneys to access your computer, mobile phone or on Facebook.

Creating official Legacy Contacts.

Apple – Legacy Contact for iPhone, iPad and iPod

Apple offers a very handy Legacy Contact solution where people can access your information after you have passed by supplying an access key and death certificate.

• Go to Settings, then click on your name.
• Click Sign-In & Security.
• Click Legacy Contact.
• Click Add Legacy Contact.  You may be asked to authenticate this with Face ID, Fingerprint ID or your device passcode.
• A QR code (a square box bar/box code) and the actual code in the form of WXYZ-1234- WXYZ-1234- WXYZ-1234- WXYZ-1234- WXYZ-1234- WXYZ-1234- WXYZ-1234 etc is produced to share or print
• Share this with person you have nominated.
• Your Legacy Contact can then access your data by supplying the code and a death certificate with Apple.

Android – Set Up Inactive Account Manager

Android (google phones, Samsung and other smartphones) does not offer a Legacy Contact solution but does offer an Inactive Account Manager facility.

• Sign in to your Google account and go to Google Account Settings.
• Click Data & Privacy in the sidebar.
• Click More options.
• Click Make a Plan for your Digital Legacy and click Start.
• Select a period for when your google account is deactivated due to inactivity e.g.  after 3, 6, 12, or 18 months.  Click Save.
• Add details like your mobile number, email address, and recovery email address.  Click Next.
• Click Add Person and enter their email address to notify them when your account becomes inactive.  Click Next.
• Select which services you want the legacy contact to have access to.  Click Next
• Enter legacy contact’s telephone number so that they can verify their identity.  Click Save.
• Click Set AutoReply to send a custom message to your legacy contact when your account becomes inactive.
• Enter your custom message and select Save.  Click Next.
• Click Review Plan to double check the details you have set are correct and Click Confirm Plan to finalise your Inactive Account Manager.

Facebook Legacy Contact

• Click your profile picture in the top right of Facebook.
• Go to Settings and Privacy and click Settings.
• Click Accounts Centre in the left menu.
• Click Personal details on the left, then click Account ownership and control.
• Click Memorialisation and select your account.
• Click Memorialise account, then click Next.
• Type a Facebook Friend's name into the text box, then click on their profile picture.
• Choose whether to give your legacy contact permission to download a copy of what you've shared on Facebook.  Click Save.
• Tell your Facebook friend they are your nominated legacy contact by Click Send.
• Your legacy contact can:
• Write a message that is posted on your profile e.g., to notify of death or funeral details(e.g.  to share a final message on your behalf or provide information about a memorial service).
• Update your profile picture and cover photo.
• Download copies of what you've shared on Facebook.
• Your legacy contact cannot:
• Log in to your account.
• Read your messages.
• Remove friends or add new friend requests.

The above Legacy Contact actions may seem trivial but of loved ones want access to banking and other smartphone ‘apps’, photos, videos, memories, contact details of family, friends and more.

Do not delay, do this today.

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