Apple Legacy Contacts: what they can and can't do
A Legacy Contact can reach much of your Apple data after you die. But it isn't a master key, and families are often surprised by the gaps.
Apple lets you nominate one or more Legacy Contacts. After your death, they can apply to Apple, with a death certificate and the access key you gave them, for access to data in your iCloud account.
What they can get
Photos, messages, notes, files, contacts, calendars and device backups stored in iCloud.
What they can't
- Your saved passwords, payment cards and other items in your Keychain or Passwords app.
- Movies, music and books you bought.
- Your subscriptions.
- Your iPhone itself. A Legacy Contact doesn't unlock the device, and getting a locked phone reset can take more paperwork.
What helps
Set up a Legacy Contact, and alongside it, keep a written note somewhere safe with your phone passcode and computer password, and tell someone you trust where it is.
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