Managing digital legacy: passwords and social media of the deceased
Introduction
When a person dies, they leave behind much more than physical assets. Their Facebook accounts, their photos on iCloud, their Gmail emails, their Netflix subscriptions and sometimes even cryptocurrency wallets constitute a digital legacy that requires careful management.
Yet Swiss legislation remains unclear on this subject. Who has the right to access the accounts of a deceased person? How can passwords be recovered? What should be done with a Facebook account of a deceased person? These practical questions often come up against a legal vacuum and complex procedures specific to each platform.
This guide supports you step by step in managing the digital succession of a loved one. You will discover how to inventory their online presence, the specific procedures for the main platforms (Meta, Google, Apple), the particular issue of cryptocurrencies, and above all how to prevent these difficulties by organising your own digital will.
Because beyond the technical aspects, it is about respecting the memory and privacy of the deceased, whilst allowing loved ones to access the necessary information. An approach that naturally fits into the overall management of digital accounts and subscriptions after a death.
📌 Summary (TL;DR)
Managing the digital legacy of a deceased person requires a methodical inventory of their online accounts. Each platform (Facebook, Google, Apple) has its own memorialisation or deletion procedures, often complex. Cryptocurrencies represent a particular challenge without access to private keys. The best solution remains prevention: creating a digital will, using a password manager with emergency function and configuring legacy contacts on the main platforms.
📚 Table of contents
The legal vacuum of digital legacy in Switzerland
Switzerland does not yet have a specific legal framework to regulate digital succession. Classic inheritance law theoretically applies to digital assets, but online platforms impose their own rules via their terms of use.
This situation creates tension between two principles: on one side, heirs legally have the right to the deceased's assets, including digital ones. On the other, personal data protection (Swiss DPA and European GDPR) protects confidentiality, even after death.
Result: heirs theoretically possess the right to access the deceased's accounts, emails and data, but practical access remains complex and depends on the goodwill of each platform. This legal grey area considerably complicates the management of digital legacy.
To understand the ethical issues of this posthumous online presence, consult our article on the digitalisation of memory.
Inventorying the deceased's digital presence
Before any procedure, establish a complete inventory of the deceased's online accounts. This step is essential to avoid forgetting anything.
Where to look:
- Email inboxes (often the key to identifying other accounts)
- Bank and credit card statements (recurring subscriptions)
- Password manager if they used one
- Browser history
- Applications on smartphone and tablet
Types of accounts to identify:
- Social networks (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X/Twitter)
- Email services (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo)
- Cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox)
- Online banking and financial accounts
- E-commerce shops (Amazon, eBay)
- Subscriptions (streaming, press, software)
- Cryptocurrencies and digital wallets
Distinguish accounts with asset value (crypto, paid accounts) from memorial accounts (social networks). For the practical management of these accounts, our guide on managing digital accounts and subscriptions supports you step by step.
Managing accounts on the main platforms
Each platform has developed its own procedures for managing accounts of deceased persons. Procedures vary considerably depending on the service.
Digital giants have gradually put in place specific forms and commemoration options. Some allow the advance designation of a trusted contact, others require official documents and significant delays.
Here is how to proceed for the main platforms used in Switzerland.
Facebook and Instagram (Meta)
Meta offers two options for managing a Facebook account of a deceased person: memorialisation or permanent deletion.
Memorial account: The profile remains visible with the mention "Remembering". Posts and photos remain accessible according to the initial privacy settings. No one can log into the account, but friends can share memories on the timeline.
If the deceased had designated a legacy contact during their lifetime, this person can manage certain aspects of the memorial account: change the profile picture, respond to friend requests, pin a tribute message.
Procedure: Complete the Meta form dedicated to accounts of deceased persons. Required documents: death certificate, proof of your relationship with the deceased. Processing generally takes a few days to a few weeks.
The same procedure applies to Instagram, also managed by Meta.
Google (Gmail, YouTube, Photos, Drive)
Google has developed the Inactive Account Manager, a tool allowing you to designate up to 10 trusted contacts during your lifetime. After a defined period of inactivity (3 to 18 months), these contacts receive access to the data or a notification.
If this option has not been configured, heirs must go through a more cumbersome procedure via the form for requesting access to accounts of deceased persons.
Necessary documents:
- Official death certificate
- Proof of your status as heir (certificate of inheritance)
- Copy of your identity document
- Email address of the deceased
Google examines each request individually. Delays are long: allow several weeks, or even several months. The access granted is limited: you can download the data (emails, photos, Drive documents), but not log into the account.
This procedure covers Gmail, YouTube, Google Photos, Google Drive and all Google services.
Apple (iCloud, Apple ID)
Since iOS 15.2, Apple offers the Digital Legacy Contact programme. You can designate up to 5 people who will be able to access your iCloud account after your death.
Each contact receives a unique access key. In the event of death, they present this key and the death certificate to Apple to obtain access to photos, messages, notes, iCloud files and backups. Access is granted quickly, within a few days.
Without a designated legacy contact: The situation becomes very complicated. Apple prioritises confidentiality and generally refuses access without prior designation. In most cases, you will need to obtain a court order, a lengthy and costly process.
This strict policy reflects Apple's commitment to privacy protection, but it can permanently block access to digital memories (photos, messages) if no legacy contact has been configured.
Other platforms (LinkedIn, X/Twitter, TikTok)
LinkedIn: Offers memorialisation or deletion of the profile. Use the dedicated form by providing the profile URL, the death certificate and your relationship with the deceased. The memorial profile remains visible but can no longer be modified.
X (formerly Twitter): Only offers permanent deletion, no memorialisation. An authorised relative or the executor must submit a request with official documents. The account is permanently deleted, impossible to recover afterwards.
TikTok: Allows deletion via a specific request form. Required documents: death certificate and proof of your legal authority.
General advice: For any platform, search the help pages for the terms "deceased account", "deceased user" or "memorialisation". Most services have developed specific procedures in recent years.
The specific issue of cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies represent a major challenge in digital succession. Without the private keys or recovery phrases (seed phrases), the funds are permanently and irrevocably lost.
Unlike traditional bank accounts, no central authority can reset access or recover funds. The decentralised nature of cryptocurrencies means there is no customer service, no request form, no possible recourse.
The figures are staggering: Studies estimate that several billion dollars in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are permanently lost, mainly due to failure to transmit access keys upon death.
Storage solutions: Hardware wallets (physical wallets like Ledger or Trezor) are secure but must be discoverable by heirs. The recovery phrase of 12 or 24 words must be kept separately, in a safe place.
Secure transmission: Inform at least one trusted person of the existence of your crypto-assets, their location and the access method. Without this transmission, your digital assets will disappear with you.
Prevention: organising your digital legacy during your lifetime
The best strategy to facilitate the management of your digital legacy? Anticipate it during your lifetime. A few hours invested today will avoid months of complications for your loved ones.
Three complementary approaches allow you to effectively organise your posthumous digital presence: the digital will, password managers with emergency function, and the configuration of legacy contacts on the main platforms.
These tools exist and are simple to set up. You just need to take the time to configure them.
Creating a digital will
A digital will is a document that lists all your online accounts with precise instructions for each one: keep, delete, memorialise, transfer.
This document can be integrated into your classic will or constitute a separate document entrusted to your executor or a trusted relative.
What to mention:
- List of all accounts (social networks, emails, cloud, finances)
- Specific instructions for each account
- Location of devices and storage media
- Information about cryptocurrencies (without the private keys directly)
Important: NEVER write your passwords directly in this document. If the will becomes public or accessible to several people, you compromise your security during your lifetime. Instead use a password manager with emergency function.
Using a password manager with emergency function
Modern password managers like 1Password, Bitwarden or Dashlane offer emergency contact or emergency access functions.
Principle: You designate one or more trusted persons. In case of need, they can request access to your password vault. After a delay defined by you (24 hours to 30 days), access is automatically granted, unless you oppose it.
This solution is ideal: secure during your lifetime (you keep total control), but accessible to your loved ones in case of death or incapacity. No need to write down your passwords on paper or communicate them in advance.
Strong recommendation: If you already use a password manager, configure this function today. If you do not use one yet, now is the time to start. It is the most effective solution for the secure transmission of your digital access.
Configuring legacy contacts on platforms
The main platforms now offer native options to designate a trusted contact:
- Facebook: Legacy contact in memorialisation settings
- Google: Inactive Account Manager (up to 10 contacts)
- Apple: Digital Legacy Contact (up to 5 contacts)
Configuring these options takes 30 minutes in total and greatly simplifies the procedures for your loved ones. Without this prior configuration, they will have to provide official documents, wait weeks or months, and sometimes will never obtain access (particularly for Apple).
Concrete action: Block half an hour in your diary this week to configure these three essential options. Your loved ones will be grateful when the time comes.
Digital legacy represents a major issue in our connected society. Between online bank accounts, social networks, cloud services and cryptocurrencies, the digital presence of a deceased person requires methodical and respectful management. The current legal vacuum in Switzerland makes this task complex for bereaved families.
The best solution remains prevention: creating a digital will, using a password manager with emergency function, and configuring legacy contacts on the main platforms. These simple procedures spare loved ones administrative complications at the time of bereavement.
To support this digital transition, Wolky offers a space dedicated to the memory of your loved ones. You can publish an online obituary for 180 CHF, create a memorial page and share photos and memories with your loved ones. An accessible and dignified way to honour memory, whilst facilitating the management of digital legacy.
