Digital dead man's switch
A dead man’s switch for the instructions they’ll need.
Write instructions for someone you trust. Keep them on hold by checking in. If you miss a check-in and the extra waiting time passes, ZeroLatch emails your person a notice so they can verify their email and open the instructions.
Save and preview one account draft free. No card needed.
How it works
Write your instructions
Choose a trusted person. Write a short note and preview it before turning anything on.
Keep checking in
Confirm you are checking in from our reminder email. Your instructions stay on hold.
They get access if you stop
After a missed deadline, reminders and your extra waiting time, your person can verify their email and read the note.
ZeroLatch responds to missed check-ins. It does not detect death or verify an emergency.
Prepare free. Automatic delivery from US$9/month.
One set of instructions for one person. A card-required 14-day trial begins when setting up automatic delivery. Your selected plan renews unless cancelled.
Need more? See pricingUseful details for family
Legal documents, provider procedures and professional advice still determine what another person may do. A digital dead man's switch can support that process by delivering selected instructions, contacts and encrypted files when you are no longer completing check-ins. It should be a tested information layer—not a claim that inactivity proves death.
ZeroLatch is a delayed information-delivery service. It does not detect death, call emergency services, track location, publish data automatically, revoke accounts, or provide a minute-by-minute lone-worker alarm.
Scheduled email check-ins
Choose a supported 1, 7, 30, 60, 90 or 180-day interval. One account-level check-in keeps every active delivery protected.
- A missed deadline starts the warning sequence
- The recipient receives nothing during the safety period
- Checking in resets the shared account clock
A separate safety period
Choose 0, 1, 7, 14, 21 or 30 days after the missed deadline. A zero-day choice removes the extra wait and increases accidental-delivery risk.
- The warning step is processed before release eligibility
- With zero days, there is no additional waiting period
- The timing is visible before activation
Encrypted files and a private message
Files are encrypted in the browser before upload. The release email stays generic and does not expose filenames, the sender message or recovery material.
- AES-256-GCM file encryption
- Recipient details stay behind email verification
- Ordinary email carries the access notice, not the files
Simple or Private recovery
Simple requires no separate secret after authorised release checks. Private requires your separate password or recovery phrase and a plan for how the recipient will obtain it.
- Simple needs email verification but no separate secret
- Private requires a password or recovery phrase ZeroLatch cannot recover
- Both modes encrypt files before upload
What is an online dead man’s switch?
It is a service that takes a prepared action when you stop checking in. ZeroLatch holds your instructions and optional files, sends reminders if you miss a deadline, then sends your chosen person an access notice after your extra waiting time. It does not determine why you stopped checking in.
How is this different from a shared folder or password manager?
A shared folder is useful when someone needs access now. A password manager handles credentials and may offer emergency access. ZeroLatch is for prepared instructions held until missed-check-in conditions are met. Start with document locations and contacts; keep urgent information accessible separately.
Can I try it free?
Yes. Save and preview one inactive text draft in your account without a card. Setting up automatic delivery requires a card for the 14-day trial, then starts at US$9/month unless cancelled. You review and turn delivery on separately.
Does a dead man's switch know whether someone has died?
No. ZeroLatch observes whether an account has completed a scheduled check-in. Inactivity can have many causes, so the system warns the owner and waits through a separate safety period before release.
What happens after I miss a check-in?
The safety period begins and the owner receives a warning. The recipient receives nothing during that period. A new check-in resets the account clock and keeps active deliveries on hold.
Can I use a different schedule for every delivery?
No. The active account uses one shared check-in schedule. Supported check-in intervals are 1, 7, 30, 60, 90 or 180 days, followed by a 0, 1, 7, 14, 21 or 30-day safety period. Processing runs daily, not in real time.
Is ZeroLatch a zero-knowledge service?
Private mode is self-custody: ZeroLatch does not store your private password or recovery phrase. Simple mode requires no separate secret and is not zero-knowledge. Both modes encrypt files in the browser before upload.
Is this a replacement for a will or power of attorney?
No. ZeroLatch can deliver information, but it does not create legal authority, change ownership or replace estate documents, corporate approvals or provider-specific procedures.