How can my family access my Apple Legacy Contact account after I die?

The process typically involves contacting Apple Legacy Contact with a death certificate and proof of relationship. Our step-by-step guide walks you through the exact procedure.

⚡ Set Up Now

What Happens to Your Apple Legacy Contact Account When You Die

Critical — do this today2 minutes

Without Apple Legacy Contact set up BEFORE death, your family needs a court order to access iCloud. Court orders take months and cost thousands. Set this up today.

Quick Facts

Without it

Court order required

With it

Access in 7 days

Time to set up

2 minutes

Step-by-Step Guide

Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad

Go to Settings → [Your Name] → Sign-In & Security → Legacy Contact.

Tap "Add Legacy Contact"

Choose someone from your contacts. They will receive an access key that unlocks your account when combined with a death certificate.

Send them the access key

Apple will generate an access key. Share it with your Legacy Contact via Messages, a printout, or save it to their device. They will need this key.

Document Now Checklist

Set up Legacy Contact: Settings → [Your Name] → Sign-In & Security → Legacy Contact → Add Legacy Contact
Note your Apple ID email address
List all active Apple subscriptions
Note if iPhone/iPad is primary photo storage

Save this to your vault

When you document your accounts in Passed Plan, your family gets a personalized action plan — with only the guides that apply to them, in the right order, with your notes attached.

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Last verified: June 2026. Platform policies may change. Verify current procedures directly with Apple Legacy Contact. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

Related Guides

Google Inactive Account Manager

Google Inactive Account Manager automatically shares your account data with designated people after a period of inactivity. Without it, your family must submit a formal request and wait weeks.

Facebook Legacy Contact

Settings & Privacy → Settings → General → Memorialization Settings.

Browse all 1,800+ platform guides Platform Guides Google Inactive Account Manager guide Facebook Legacy Contact guide

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