Digital Legacy – Social Media, Email and Files After Death
· 5 min read
Digital life does not end with death
We die, but our digital footprint remains: social media accounts, emails, photos, subscriptions, gaming accounts, cryptocurrencies, online banking credentials, and thousands of other digital traces.
Managing a digital legacy is one of the post-death tasks that family members often do not expect -- and for which few have a ready plan.
What a digital legacy includes
Social media
- Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, YouTube
Communication
- Email (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo), WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal
Photos and memories
- Phone gallery, Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox
Finances
- Online banking, investment services, cryptocurrencies, PayPal
Subscriptions
- Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, magazines, apps, cloud services
Work and hobbies
- Work credentials, gaming accounts, online shop accounts
Service-specific instructions
Memorialisation:
- A pre-designated "legacy contact" can change the profile to memorial status
- The account name changes to: "Remembering [name]"
- Friends can write memories on the wall
- No one can log into the account
Account deletion:
- A family member requests deletion through Facebook's form + death certificate
- Processing usually takes 1--4 weeks
Preparation:
- Designate a legacy contact: Settings > Memorialisation Settings
- Memorialisation or deletion (same Meta company as Facebook)
- A family member applies for memorialisation or deletion via the form + death certificate
Google (Gmail, YouTube, Google Photos)
Inactive Account Manager:
- Google offers a tool that lets users define in advance what happens to the account if it is unused for a specified period (3--18 months)
- Can automatically send data to designated people or delete the account
- The best preparation tool -- set this up now
Without preparation:
- A family member requests access to the Google account with a death certificate
- The process can take weeks and the outcome is not guaranteed
Apple (iCloud, Apple ID)
- Digital Legacy programme: users can designate "Digital Legacy Contact" people
- Without preparation: Apple may grant access based on a death certificate and a court order
- Important: the iPhone PIN code is the key to everything -- without it, access is extremely difficult
Microsoft (Outlook, OneDrive)
- "Next of Kin" process: death certificate, family member's identity document
- Processing takes several weeks
- Access is granted on a limited basis (not the entire account)
Spotify, Netflix, and other subscriptions
- Cancel the subscription through customer service
- A death certificate is usually sufficient
- Check the bank account for recurring charges
Finding passwords
When passwords are unknown
This is the most common and difficult problem. If the deceased did not leave passwords:
- Check the phone's notes -- many people save passwords in the Notes app
- Check saved browser passwords -- Chrome, Safari, and Firefox save passwords
- Check the password manager -- 1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden
- Check physical storage -- passwords written on paper
- Contact the service provider -- with a death certificate
Unlocking the phone
- PIN code: Known = easy. Unknown = difficult.
- Face ID / Touch ID: Does not work after death (biometrics change).
- Apple: Apple does not unlock phones without a court order
- Android: In some situations, Google can help with a death certificate
Digital will
What is it?
A digital will is a document in which you record instructions for your digital assets. It is not legally binding (in the sense of the Inheritance Code), but it greatly eases the family's work.
What it should include
- Password manager master password or a list of the most important credentials
- Phone PIN code
- Computer password
- Email credentials (the key to everything else)
- Instructions for social media accounts:
- Facebook: memorialisation or deletion?
- Instagram: memorialisation or deletion?
- Others: to be deleted
- List of subscriptions: Netflix, Spotify, magazines, etc.
- Wishes for photos: Where they are, who receives them
- Cryptocurrencies: Wallet addresses and keys (critical -- without these, the assets are permanently lost)
- Work credentials: If the employer needs access
- Special wishes: Final messages, blogs, writings
How to store it
- Password manager (1Password, Bitwarden) -- most secure
- Sealed envelope in a safe or safe deposit box
- Held by a notary alongside a traditional will
- Not in email or cloud storage without encryption
Family's task list
First week
- Determine the deceased's phone PIN code (if possible)
- Check the bank account for recurring charges
- Cancel unnecessary subscriptions immediately
- Notify the employer -- they need access to work credentials
First month
- Change the Facebook account to memorial status or request deletion
- Change the Instagram account to memorial status
- Check emails -- important messages may be there
- Save photos from the phone and cloud service
- Cancel email-related subscriptions
First months
- Close all unnecessary accounts
- Transfer valuable files (photos, videos, documents) to the family
- Consider creating a memorial page
Cryptocurrencies -- a special case
If the deceased held Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, the situation is critical:
- Without the private key or seed phrase recovery words, the assets are permanently lost
- No entity can recover them
- If you find papers related to crypto, keep them carefully and contact an expert
- Cryptocurrencies must be reported as assets in the estate inventory
Frequently asked questions
What happens to a Facebook account after death?
Memorialisation or deletion. A family member or a pre-designated contact decides.
How do I access the email?
With a death certificate from the service provider (Google, Microsoft). The process takes weeks.
Do subscriptions need to be cancelled?
Yes. Check the bank account for recurring payments and cancel unnecessary subscriptions.
What is a digital will?
A document containing passwords, instructions for social media accounts, and a list of subscriptions. It significantly eases the family's work.
How to save photos?
From the phone with a PIN code, from cloud services with a password. Without these, contact the service provider with a death certificate.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to a Facebook account after death?
Facebook offers two options: 1) Memorialisation – the account name changes to 'Remembering [name]', no one can log in, but friends can write memories on the wall. 2) Account deletion – a family member or a pre-designated 'legacy contact' can request deletion. Both options require a death certificate.
How do I access the deceased's email?
It depends on the provider. Google: a family member can request access through the Inactive Account Manager feature or with a death certificate. Microsoft/Outlook: a 'Next of Kin' process with a death certificate. Without passwords and preparation, access can be difficult or impossible. The best solution: a digital will where passwords are recorded.
Do the deceased's subscriptions need to be cancelled?
Yes. Cancelling Netflix, Spotify, magazine subscriptions, and other recurring charges is important to stop billing. Check the deceased's bank account for recurring payments. Most services cancel subscriptions upon presentation of a death certificate.
What is a digital will?
A digital will is a document in which a person records instructions for their digital assets: passwords or the master password for a password manager, instructions for social media accounts (delete or memorialise), a list of subscriptions, wishes for photos and files. It is not legally binding like a traditional will, but it greatly eases the family's work.
How to save the deceased's photos?
Photos may be on a phone, computer, cloud service (Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox), or memory card. Unlocking the phone requires a PIN code or biometric authentication. Accessing cloud services requires a password. If the password is unknown, contact the service provider with a death certificate – the process can take weeks.
Read also
A practical guide to the first hours after a loved one's death. Who to contact, what documents you need, and how to take care of yourself.
A clear guide to estate banking matters: the deceased's account, paying bills, bank-specific instructions and required documents.
What documents are needed for an estate inventory? A comprehensive list: family records, civil registry certificates, will, bank statements, and property documents.