iOS 15 Lets Your Family Access Your Data If You Die

[MacRumors]

With iOS 15, Apple is introducing a new Digital Legacy program that designates people as Legacy Contacts to let them access your Apple ID account and personal information in the event of your death.

This feature does not appear to be live at the current time, but based on Apple's description, it will give your friends or family members access to your photos and other important data after your death. This is an important new addition to iOS because right now, if someone passes away with a locked iPhone, iPad, or Mac, it's difficult if not impossible to get access to the device, even with access to a death certificate.

Digital Legacy will let your loved ones manage your data to get access to key accounts and personal items like photos that would otherwise be lost.

Management of digital data after death is something that Apple has been lacking, and with so much data online, it's become an increasingly important topic. Social networks like Twitter and Facebook have tools for setting legacy contacts that can archive an account, and Google maintains an Inactive Account Manager that releases control of an account to a designated person after a set period of time.

Alongside the Digital Legacy program, Apple is also letting users set Account Recovery Contacts. People set as an Account Recovery Contact will be able to help you regain access to your Apple ID should you forget your password.

Both of these features will be available when iOS 15 launches this fall.

Article Link: iOS 15 Lets Your Family Access Your Data If You Die

 

[countryside]

Can we have it automatically delete select things?

 

[Brookzy]

*when.

 

[gsmornot]

Can we have it automatically delete select things?

When you're gone I think it will be ok for your skeletons to be set free. Ha.

 

[CapeCodApple]

If?

 

[CapeCodApple]

Can we have it automatically delete select things?

That's what private browsers tabs are for.

 

[bsamcash]

Another reason for my family to kill me.

 

[HeavenDynamic]

iOS 15 Lets Your Family Access Your Data If You Die

when*

 

[macduke]

This seems like a bug, not a new feature.

 

[Techwatcher]

Grim, but necessary. Everything is becoming heavily data dependent these days so all companies should be doing this.

 

[rictus007]

I don’t want my family to access my data …. It should be the oposite…. AI should be used to identify if I died and then delete everything

 

[maternidad]

This seems like a bug, not a new feature.

It seems like a bug to you because you haven’t read the article 😀

 

[gaximus]

I don’t want my family to access my data …. It should be the oposite…. AI should be used to identify if I died and then delete everything

Then don't enable this feature.

 

[Complex757]

I think a self destruct feature where it automatically wipes your phone and history would be more useful

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

No ones getting my data, am gonna freeze like Walt Disney

 

[nvmls]

CSI Cupertino

 

[thadoggfather]

SO excited for this feature to be put to use

said no one

 

[Apple_Robert]

Very glad to see this. The world isn't getting rid of me so easily. Now, my legacy will continue to live on and on, until someone locks him or herself out of my account. lol

This will also come in handy for those with older parents.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I think a self destruct feature where it automatically wipes your phone and history would be more useful

So, not like Samsung’s melting smartphones?

 

[Dc2006ster]

At first blush I like this idea but want to see details. . I am 75 and do worry about how my wife or other family members would be able to access certain necessary data and accounts when I pass.

 

[nortonandreev]

Apple employees have lost their minds during the pandemic, apparently. I have never been so disappointed with iOS and macOS releases. Apart from lacking anything exciting, none of the bugs or the quirks I have been experiencing with iOS 14 and Big Sur have been fixed in the new updates.

 

[countryside]

That's what private browsers tabs are for.

Personally, I just would want to wipe iMessage. That is where the most feelings will be hurt. Kids, siblings, etc will not like what may have been said about them in times of annoyance. Ha.

 

[dukebound85]

Can you opt out of this? Family or not, if I want things private, they should stay private

 

[JedWare]

What about the ability to merge apple accounts? We have only been requesting that for over 5 years.

 

[bumpylumpy]

It will be interesting to see what information Apple requires in order to determine that an Apple ID owner has actually died. I can see situations where like beneficiary designations, someone adds their wife and kids to an Apple ID, but then has a divorce or a falling out and forgets to remove them. Then a vengeful family member attempts to "hack" their account by falsely claiming the owner has died and wants access! Hopefully Apple will have a clear method of verification, like notifying the original Apple ID owner with a "We think you died. Deny access if you're still alive!" message.