What happens to your Apple ID and iCloud account when you pass away
Share:

What happens to our ids and password when we pass away?

Well, this is a question that everyone would like to avoid, but it is inevitable. We must be prepared so that our loved ones are not left with incomplete or inappropriate information about us.

An Apple ID and iCloud Account can contain crucial information that must be handed to the right hands after we pass away, but how to ensure that our family members can access the information when we are not present with them.

What do the Apple id and an iCloud account terms say?

Apple ID and iCloud terms do not allow take over of an account.

"D. No Right of Survivorship

Unless otherwise required by law, You agree that your Account is non-transferable and that any rights to your Apple ID or Content within your Account terminate upon your death. Upon receipt of a copy of a death certificate, your Account may be terminated and all Content within your Account deleted. Contact iCloud Support at https://support.apple.com/icloud for further assistance."

So after reading this, you must be concerned about passing your Apple ID and iCloud Account to your loved ones.

How to request access to a deceased person's Account?

To access a deceased person account, one can request apple's help and support document, which states

"We ask that the court order specify:

  • The name and Apple ID of the deceased person.
  • The name of the next of kin who is requesting access to the decedent's Account.
  • That the decedent was the user of all accounts associated with the Apple ID.
  • That the requestor is the decedent's legal personal representative, agent, or heir, whose authorization constitutes "lawful consent."
  • That Apple is ordered by the court to assist in the provision of access to the decedent's information from the deceased person's accounts."

Once all the necessary information has been collected by the family members, they can contact apple support and move forward with the help of their assistance.

How to access the apple device of the deceased person?

Apple can help your family access your Account, but it cannot help them in unlocking the device. The only option then left with your family will be erasing all the data.

Even that can be fine if your data is backed up in your iCloud or Apple ID.

"…devices locked with a passcode are protected by passcode encryption, and unless the next of kin know the device passcode, Apple will not be able to remove the passcode lock on the device without erasing it."

How can you prepare for this situation?

Although many don't like to talk or even talk about it, this is also important in this digital era. Have a few suggestions that can help you in preparing for it.

  • Keep a password-protected document with all your necessary and important details like password username and account information.
  • Include your digital assets in your already existing will or estate plan.
  • You can also write your account details and passwords in a diary or journal.

Conclusion

These points will help you prepare for unexpected circumstances in advance. Death is not inevitable, so it's better if we keep all the data safe and protected so that it lands in the right hands after we pass away.