How do you set up Apple's Legacy Contact and Google's Inactive Account Manager?

Configure Google Inactive Account Manager within your account security settings to set an inactivity timer (e.g., 3 months), and activate Apple's Legacy Contact on iOS under Apple ID Password & Security to generate an access key for your heirs — both tools operate outside probate and provide immediate access to your designated contacts.

Apple's Legacy Contact and Google's Inactive Account Manager are the two most powerful platform-level digital legacy tools available. They support access alongside probate and estate processes entirely, operate on automated triggers, and provide your designated contacts with access to your digital life without court orders or legal documentation.

Despite their importance, only 23% of Apple users and 18% of Google users have configured these tools. The setup takes less than 10 minutes for each — there's no excuse not to do it today.

Use our Death Audit Checklist to verify these critical platform steps are completed.

Setting up Google Inactive Account Manager: step by step

Step 1: Access the tool Go to myaccount.google.com → Data & Privacy → "Make a plan for your digital legacy" (or search "Inactive Account Manager" in Google).

Step 2: Set the inactivity timeout Choose how long Google should wait before triggering: 3, 6, 12, or 18 months of inactivity. Google defines inactivity as no sign-ins, no Gmail checks, no YouTube activity. We recommend 3 months — long enough to avoid false triggers from vacations, short enough to prevent ghosting.

Step 3: Choose trusted contacts Designate up to 10 trusted contacts who will be notified when the timer expires. For each contact, specify: • Their email address • What data they can download (you can choose specific Google services or everything) • Whether they can download your data or just be notified

Step 4: Set auto-reply Optionally, configure an auto-reply for your Gmail that will activate when the timer expires, informing senders that you're no longer active.

Step 5: Decide on account deletion Choose whether Google should delete your account after the timeout period and after your trusted contacts have had time to download data. We recommend enabling deletion — it prevents ghosting and identity theft.

Step 6: Save and confirm Google will send a confirmation email. Your trusted contacts will NOT be notified until the timer actually expires.

What your trusted contact receives: When the timer expires, Google emails your trusted contacts with a link to download the data you specified. They'll need your death certificate OR a waiting period (Google requires 3 months of inactivity before triggering, which serves as verification).

Important limitation: Google Inactive Account Manager only covers Google services — Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, YouTube, Google Pay, Android device data. It does NOT cover non-Google accounts, even if you used a Gmail address to register them.

Setting up Apple Legacy Contact: step by step

Step 1: Access the setting On iPhone/iPad: Settings → [your name] → Password & Security → Legacy Contact. On Mac: System Settings → [your name] → Password & Security → Legacy Contact.

Step 2: Add a legacy contact Tap "Add Legacy Contact." You'll need to authenticate with Face ID/Touch ID or your device passcode. Choose a contact from your address book.

Step 3: Generate the access key Apple generates a unique access key (a QR code and a text-based key). Your legacy contact will need this key to access your Apple data after your death.

Step 4: Share the access key You can share the access key via Messages, print it, or save it as a PDF. Your legacy contact must keep this key safe — they'll need it along with your death certificate to access your data.

Step 5: Store the access key in ZeroLatch As a backup, store a copy of the access key in your ZeroLatch vault alongside your other digital legacy credentials. If your legacy contact loses the key, they can retrieve it from the vault.

What your legacy contact receives: After your death, your legacy contact contacts Apple with: • The access key • Your death certificate

Apple provides them with an access link to download: • iCloud Photos and videos • iCloud Drive documents • Apple Notes, Contacts, Calendars • Messages (iMessage conversations) • Device backups • App data stored in iCloud • Apple Music and Apple Pay information

Important limitations: • Your legacy contact cannot access your iCloud Keychain (passwords stored in Safari) • They cannot make purchases or change account settings • They cannot access data stored in third-party apps that don't sync to iCloud • The access link expires after a set period — they must download data promptly

The critical complement: Apple Legacy Contact and Google Inactive Account Manager cover only their respective ecosystems. For everything else — banking, social media, crypto, business accounts — you need ZeroLatch as the unified, automated delivery system. Store your Apple access key, Google trusted contact configuration, and all other credentials in your ZeroLatch vault for complete coverage.