Preparing a Google Account in case you die
It’s not the happiest subject and we don’t like to dwell on death, but it’s something no one escapes. At the same time, we all build valuable memories that we would like to share with family and close friends. We explain which preparations you can make in case of death with your Google account.
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Google account and death
When someone dies, next of kin would prefer to collect as many memories of that person as possible to keep the memory of him or her alive. In the past, many people had a stack of photo albums, but today photos and videos are also often stored digitally, for example in apps such as Google Photos.
But of course there is much more valuable information part of a Google account. Think of Google Drive, which is often used for backups and where documents are often stored. It would be a shame if all that data and valuable memories just stay on a server, while relatives can otherwise draw strength from it.
Transfer your data
In principle, next of kin can always submit a request to access the data of the deceased person’s Google account. That works through this page. In addition, it is necessary to submit proof of the death and next of kin will also not be given access to the account. Instead, they only receive specific data.
It is better to designate one or more family members in advance who will receive your data if you die. You can choose up to 10 people who will be notified by text or e-mail and who can view your data. If you decide to prepare for this, you can also tick exactly which types of data the persons will receive and which will not.
If you want to do this, you can do so via the so-called Inactivity preferences of your Google account and it is done in a few minutes. There you can set that Google will first try to contact you several times via SMS and email after a period of three months of activity. It is important to activate both SMS and e-mail reminders, because this way you can be sure that you will not accidentally miss Google’s communication. After the period of activity and all reminders, the data you checked will be shared with friends or family. Setup works via a simple step-by-step plan that guides you. You can find out more about it in the screenshots below.
There may be other accounts you’d like to transfer to loved ones and the easiest way to do that is through a password manager. They store all your passwords in a secure vault that is usually secured with two-step verification. This means that you must take other steps in addition to a master password to be able to view all your login details.
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You can easily share that master password with someone you trust, but for that two-step verification it is also important to share your pin code. In that case, your trusted person can unlock your phone to receive a code via SMS to access your password manager. If you’re not already using a password manager, check out these four free apps.
Have you already enabled Google to transfer your account information to one or more loved ones? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of this article.
