Guide · Property and digital
Digital accounts after a death
How to access or close Google, Apple, Microsoft, and crypto accounts of a deceased person, and what each provider actually requires.
Google Inactive Account Manager and Apple Legacy Contact let users pre-authorize one trusted person to access their account after death. Without that setup, families must petition each provider, usually with a death certificate and proof of executor authority. Crypto held in self-custody wallets is unrecoverable without the seed phrase.
Step by step
Inventory the accounts
List email, cloud storage, social media, photo libraries, password manager, and any crypto wallets. The password manager is the master key.
Try the pre-set legacy tools
Google's Inactive Account Manager and Apple's Legacy Contact let users designate one person in advance. Check whether either was set up.
Petition the providers
Without a legacy setup, send each provider a death certificate, executor proof, and a specific request: transfer, download, or close.
Save what you need
Download photos and email archives before closing accounts. Most providers delete data immediately on closure.
Address self-custody crypto
Bitcoin and Ethereum held in a hardware or software wallet are unrecoverable without the seed phrase. Coins on exchanges follow the exchange's death policy.
Common questions
Will the provider give me the password?
No. Providers transfer or close accounts, but do not disclose passwords. Without a password manager handoff, original passwords are lost.
What about the deceased's iCloud photos?
Apple's Legacy Contact provides a digital access key plus death certificate to release the iCloud archive. Without that setup, Apple requires a court order.