Digital Legacy Resources
Tools, guides, and support for planning and managing your digital legacy
This resource page supports readers of Scott Wright’s Digital Legacy book and anyone preparing for or responding to digital legacy challenges.
Check back here regularly to get updated tips and links that will guide you to practical tools, checklists, and trusted resources.
Don’t put your executor or authorized decision-makers through the frustration of not being able to access critical online assets in an unexpected situation.
Start Here: 5 Top Actions Everyone Should Take
- Make a list of your most important online accounts (with no passwords or sensitive information) in a paper document, or an electronic document that you can print out
- Put your organized list in a safe location (preferably locked) in your home
- Use a password manager, if possible, to store passwords securely, and make sure the entries correspond to your listed items above; and turn on two-factor authentication for the master password access
- Assign a trusted contact for your digital affairs, and give them directions on where to find your organized list, and if appropriate, use the sharing or emergency access features in your password manager
- Enable platform-specific legacy or emergency access for the online services you use (e.g. Apple, Gmail, Facebook, etc.)
- Make sure your trusted contact(s) has a way to easily obtain your mobile phone’s PIN, so they can access it for two-factor authentication in an emergency
- Keep your list and your password repository up to date. Also, review who your trusted contact(s) is, and that they know where your document is.
Setting up digital legacy or emergency contacts with major online platforms
Note that some of the platforms below do not have specific mechanisms for designating a legacy or emergency contact. In those cases, it is vital that your password is saved and that any two-factor authentication devices are also accessible by your trusted contact.
đ Apple (Digital Legacy / iCloud)
Quick tip:
- Add a Legacy Contact in your Apple ID settings
- Your contact needs an access key + death certificate to request data [support.apple.com]
đ Google (Gmail, Drive, Photos, YouTube)
Quick tip:
- Set inactivity period (3â18 months or more)
- Add trusted contacts and choose what data they receive [simplymac.com]
- Optionally auto-delete your account
đ Facebook
- đ (Use in-page help link or search: âFacebook legacy contact settingsâ)
Quick tip:
- Choose a Legacy Contact to manage your memorialized account
- They can post updates, manage tributes, and update profile settings
- They cannot log in or read private messages [support.google.com]
đ¸ Instagram
Quick tip:
- No true âlegacy loginâ feature
- Accounts can be memorialized or deleted upon request
- Requires proof of death (e.g., obituary) [betterlegacy.io]
đź Microsoft (Outlook, OneDrive, etc.)
Quick tip:
- No pre-configured legacy access
- Access may require legal process (e.g., court order/subpoena) [androidpolice.com]
- Plan aheadâdonât rely on recovery later
đ Amazon (and similar services)
- đ Amazon Help (search: âclose account of deceased userâ)
Quick tip:
- No legacy feature
- Executors must contact support and provide documentation
Password Manager Primer: Setting up the Bitwarden Password Manager program
A password manager helps you create, store, and safely access strong passwords for all your accountsâso you donât have to remember them. Security professionals recommend using a password manager program when you have multiple online accounts, so that each account can be secured with a different, unique and strong password, as long as you use a long, strong master password that is not guessable or easy for an attacker to find.
While I describe the process for setting up the Bitwarden password manager below, I do not have any affiliation with Bitwarden. I use it myself, and am familiar with its features. You may prefer using others such as Dashlane, 1Password, KeyPass or LastPass. I am not claiming that any of these products is “the most secure” way to store passwords. But they are used by many people, which means that there is a lot of scrutiny on their security practices. This doesn’t mean they will never suffer security incidents. However, the risks of not using a password manager (e.g. using the same password that you can remember everywhere) are generally considered to be greater than those of using a reputable one, along with good security best practices. For the purposes of reducing risks from your loved ones not being able to access your online accounts when you die, and to make it relatively easy for you to document your “digital legacy”, this is what I recommend.
Follow these steps to get set up with Bitwarden, one of the most common and reputable password managers. It has a free plan that anyone can subscribe to. You may wish to shop around and use a different password manager program. However, these instructions can be used as a general procedure for setting up any password manager program.
You may also want to reference the series of Bitwarden 101 videos on YouTube to see demonstrations for some of the basic steps below.
1. Create Your Bitwarden Account
- Go to: https://bitwarden.com
- Click Get Started or Create Account
- Enter your email address
- Create a strong master password (see tips below)
- Write down a password hint (optional but helpful)
â Important: Your master password is the *only password you need to rememberâand it cannot be recovered if lost.
2. Create a Strong Master Password
Use something that is:
- Long (at least 12â16 characters)
- Easy for you to remember, hard for others to guess
â Example approach:
- Combine random words:
Maple Bridge Ocean Coffee!(only an example; use your own words)
â Avoid:
- Personal info (birthdays, names)
- Reusing any existing password
đĄ Consider writing your master password down and storing it in a secure physical location (like a safe), as described in the book The Digital Legacy Tree: Ensuring your loved ones have access to what they need when you’re gone.
3. Install Bitwarden on Your Devices
To make it easy to use daily:
- On your computer: install the browser extension (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.)
- On your phone: install the Bitwarden app from the App Store or Google Play
- Log in with your email and master password
- Youâre now ready to start saving passwords
4. Save Your First Password
The next time you log in to a website:
- Enter your username and password as usual
- Bitwarden will prompt: âSave this login?â
- Click Yes
â Thatâs itâBitwarden will remember it for you
5. Use Bitwarden to Log In
Next time you visit that site and see the fields for entering your username and password on the login page:
- Click the Bitwarden icon in your browser
- Choose the saved login
- Click the Fill link in the record that pops up
â No more typing or remembering passwords
6. Improve Existing Passwords (One at a Time)
Start upgrading your security gradually:
- Visit an important account (email, bank, etc.)
- Change the password
- Use Bitwardenâs password generator to create a strong one (it will be a long, random string of characters)
- Save it when prompted
â Focus on your most important accounts first
7. Turn On Two-Factor Authentication, also called 2FA, MFA or two-step login (Optional but Recommended)
This adds an extra layer of protection:
- In Bitwarden, go to Settings â Security â Two-step login
- Follow the steps to link an authenticator app or email code
â Even if someone gets your password, they would need to also have the code provided on your device
8. Back Up Your Bitwarden access information (Very Important)
Make sure someone you trust can access your digital life if needed:
- Write down:
- Your Bitwarden email
- Where your master password is stored (not the password itself)
- Keep this with your important documents
đĄ This step supports your Digital Legacy Tree planning process
9. Save Your Emergency Backup Codes (Critical if you did #7 above)
When you enable two-step login, Bitwarden provides backup codes you can use if you lose access to your phone or authentication app. You will still need your password, but will not need the 2FA code from your device.
- After setting up two-step login, look for Recovery Code or Backup Codes
- Copy or download the codes provided
- Store them in a safe, offline location:
- Printed and kept with important documents
- Stored in a secure physical file or safe
â Keep these separate from your devices
â ď¸ Anyone with these codes can access your vault if they have your Bitwarden password, so treat them with the same security as you would a password.
10. Use It Daily (Keep It Simple)
- Let Bitwarden remember passwords for you
- Use it whenever you log in
- Add new accounts as you go
â You donât need to fix everything at onceâjust start
đ Simple Best Practices
- Never reuse passwords across sites
- Always lock your device when not in use
- Keep your master password private, in a secure location
- Update important passwords once per year, or if you think any of them have been compromised
âď¸ Thatâs It!
You now have a secure foundation for managing your passwordsâand protecting your digital legacy.
Review my book, or become a contributor to the Digital Legacy Resources page…
Did you know that I am working on a book? It currently has a working title of The Digital Legacy Tree: Ensuring your loved ones can access what they need after youâre gone.
If you would like to provide feedback on the book before it is published as a “beta reviewer”, or to contribute anecdotes or tips for my book or resource page, please submit a request in the form below…
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