A person’s digital legacy includes all the digital information that they leave behind following their death.
Here are some examples:
- Email accounts
- Google accounts, Microsoft Account including Outlook, OneDrive, Yahoo,
- Online bank and credit card accounts
- Facebook, Instagram, X, Pinterest Account
- Mobile phones including WhatsApp accounts
- Subscription accounts e.g. Spotify, Apple iCloud storage
- Music on iTunes
- Kindle books
- Online gaming accounts e.g. Xbox and PlayStation
- Online trading accounts e.g. Amazon, eBay, Klarna and PayPal
- Cryptocurrencies e.g. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple.
- Intellectual property such as domain names, blog content, logos or ebooks.
The following breakdown organises the information into actionable steps
1. Creating a “Digital Directory”
The first step is to create a master list of your online existence.
- What to include: List every account, including email, social media, online banking, streaming services (Netflix/Spotify), gaming (Xbox/PlayStation), and cloud storage (iCloud/Google Drive).
- Asset Type: Distinguish between accounts with sentimental value (photos/videos) and those with financial value (PayPal, cryptocurrency).
- Physical Devices: Don’t forget to include the PINs and passwords for your actual hardware—phones, laptops, and tablets. https://digitallegacyassociation.org/social-media-will-template/
2. Using Platform-Specific Legacy Tools
Major tech companies now provide built-in tools to handle your data after you pass away. https://www.coop.co.uk/funeralcare/advice/digital-footprint-managing-your-online-identity-after-death
- Apple (Legacy Contact): You can designate someone to access your data (photos, messages, notes) using a special access key and your death certificate.
- Google (Inactive Account Manager): You can tell Google what to do with your data after a set period of inactivity (3–18 months). You can choose to notify up to 10 people or have the account delete itself automatically.
- Facebook (Memorialisation): You can choose a “Legacy Contact” who can manage your profile once it is memorialised (adding the word “Remembering” to your name). Alternatively, you can request that the account be permanently deleted upon death.
3. Appointing a “Digital Executor”
While you have executors for your physical estate, it is highly recommended to name a “Digital Executor”—someone tech-savvy whom you trust to handle your online footprint.
- Their Role: Closing accounts, downloading photos for family members, or managing memorialized social media pages.
- Legal Note: You should formally name this person in your Will or in a “Letter of Wishes” stored with your Will.
4. Protecting Your Data and Memories
- Avoid the “Will Trap”: Never put actual passwords or PINs inside your Will. A Will becomes a public document once probate is granted. Instead, use a Password Manager (like Bitwarden or 1Password) with “Emergency Access” features or store a physical list in a safe or with a solicitor.
- Physical Backups: MoneySavingExpert strongly advises backing up your most precious photos and documents to a physical external hard drive. This ensures your family has the memories regardless of a tech company’s terms and conditions. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/team-blog/2022/03/how-to-prepare-your-digital-life-for-when-you-die/
- Subscriptions: List all recurring digital payments. This helps executors stop charges from continuing after you are gone. http://www.thedigitalbeyond.com/online-services-list/
5. The Etiquette and the emotional side of “Digital Grief”
- Social Media Announcements: Advise family to wait until immediate relatives are informed before posting news on social media.
- Memorialisation vs. Deletion: Encourage people to decide now if they want their profiles to remain as a digital “shrine” (Memorialised) or be wiped clean (Deleted) to prevent identity theft.
Summary Checklist
| Step | Action |
| Inventory | Write down all accounts and usernames. |
| Hardware | Note down PIN codes for phones and computers. |
| Legacy Tools | Set up Apple Legacy Contact and Google Inactive Account Manager. |
| Storage | Use a Password Manager with emergency access for your executor. |
| Backup | Move “sentimental” photos to an external hard drive. |
| The Will | Mention your “Digital Legacy” in your legal Will, but keep passwords separate. |