A friend of mine recently lost a sibling. This was incredibly difficult for the family. But adding to the pain was that many of the precious memories and other important information was locked on the departed’s iPhone and inaccessible.
The family asked Apple if it could help unlock the device given the circumstances. But Apple was unable to assist as the security they employ to protect personal privacy means they don’t have access to passcodes or decryption keys.
I made inquiries through my network as I know people with connection to law enforcement who can, in some cases, unlock secured devices. But the cost of doing accessing this specialised service is out of reach for many people.
There will be times when we are faced with this challenge. How can we access the Apple Account of a loved one when they are unable to unlock their own account?
Apple has a way of doing this but it must be set up in advance. In 2021 Apple created a new option for Apple Accounts. Legacy Contacts let you designate one or more people as a Legacy Contact who can log into your account.
Here’s how to set up a Legacy Contact.
What you need to create a Legacy Contact
- An Apple device running iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2, or macOS Monterey 12.1 that’s signed in to your Apple Account.
- Two-factor authentication turned on for your Apple Account.
- To be over the age of 13.
How to add a Legacy Contact to your Apple Account on an iPhone or iPad
- Go to Settings and tap on your name
- Tap on Sign-in and Security and scroll down and tap on Legacy Contact
How to add a Legacy Contact to your Apple Account on Mac
- Go to System Settings and click on your name
- Tap on Sign-in and Security and click on Legacy Contact
The person (or people) you choose doesn’t need to have an Apple Account or use and Apple device.
If you are part of a Family Group, the other members of the group will come up as the first options for your Legacy Contact. But you can also choose another person by using the ‘Choose Someone Else’ option.
Once you’ve chosen a person, they will receive an Access Key either by text or email. If they have an Apple Account, they key will be saved in their Apple Account and accessed through the Legacy Contact screen on their devices.
How to use Legacy Contact access
Apple has some safeguards in place to ensure Legacy Contacts aren’t misused.
Your Legacy Contact must have both the access key and your death certificate to request access after you pass away.
Then they’ll need the access key again to set up a legacy contact Apple Account to access your data.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.