Tech steps to take before you die

December 20, 2024

By Kim Komando

It’s a grim topic, but we have to think about what happens to all our online accounts, data, notes, photos, videos, websites, playlists, blogs and subscriptions once we’re gone. Do your loved ones a favor and get this sorted out beforehand.

Your Apple account

Apple’s Legacy Contact is a safe, secure way to give trusted people 13 or older access to the data stored in your Apple account after you die. Here’s how to set it up on your iPhone:

• Open Settings and tap your name.
• Go to Sign‑In & Security > Legacy Contact > Add Legacy Contact.
• Select the person from your Contacts, then tap Continue.
• You’ll be asked how you want to share your access key. Select Print Access Key or Send Access Key.
• If you choose to send your key digitally, Apple will create a message letting your contact know you’ve added them as your legacy contact. Tap Send.

Your Google account (including Gmail)

Google offers a similar setup as Apple’s Legacy Contact called Inactive Account Manager. With it, you choose when your account is considered inactive and what happens to your data.

• Hit this link, choose Start, then select a timeframe for Google to consider your account inactive — from three months to 18 months. You’ll get multiple alerts via text and email before anything happens, so make sure your phone number and recovery email are both up to date. When you’re ready, click Next.
• Add up to 10 people Google should notify if your account is inactive, then choose anything you want them to have access to, like your contacts, calendar or entire Google account. They’ll have three months of access time. After you’ve selected your legacy recipients, hit Next.
• If you don’t want to share your data with anyone else and would prefer Google delete your account instead, toggle on that option.
• Hit Review Plan to finish up, then click Confirm Plan.

Do the same for Facebook

On Facebook, you can assign a legacy contact to write posts, update your profile photo and get a copy of everything you did on Facebook after you pass. It’s easiest to do this from a computer.

• Sign into your Facebook account, then tap your profile in the upper-right corner.
• Select Settings & Privacy > Settings > See more in Accounts Center > Personal details > Account ownership and control.
• Choose Memorialization, select your Facebook account and pick a legacy contact.

If you’d rather have your Facebook account deleted, go to the Memorialization settings page. Right above the Close button at the bottom, select Request that your account be deleted after you pass away.

What about all your passwords?

When you’re gone, it’ll help the person handling your estate if they have all your passwords. I know this firsthand. When my mother passed away from pancreatic cancer, it was so much easier when I knew the passwords to her accounts. I wish I’d told her to use a password manager.

Here’s the shortcut

With my thoroughly tested recommendation and pick, NordPass, you can securely store all your logins and passwords, then grant access to a trusted loved one in the case of an emergency or per your instructions in your estate documents.

Once you have NordPass, under Tools, look for Emergency Access. From here, you can send an email invitation to someone you trust. They get viewing access only when you say so, and you never have to share your master password.

NordPass keeps everything encrypted and locked down but accessible when it matters most. It’s peace of mind for you and a big favor for the people you care about.

If you haven’t started using a password manager yet, now’s the time. NordPass is my go-to for keeping everything safe and organized, and I negotiated a special deal just for you.

✅ Right now, get NordPass for only $1.23 a month. You can set things up now and know it’s all taken care of. When you sign up for two years, you get an extra three months free, too. Nice.