Long live our digital heritage! Have you ever wondered what happens to the hundreds (or thousands) of memorable photos, sensitive files, and personal notes on your Apple device after you’re gone? If this thought has crossed your mind and you’re looking for a safe way to keep your legacy alive even after your death, Apple Digital Legacy in iOS 15 is for you. Read on to learn what Apple Digital Legacy is and how to add an old contact to your iPhone.
Apple Digital Heritage Program: Announced! (2021)
Before we go through the steps to enable the feature, let’s understand what exactly Apple Digital Legacy is and how it works!
What is Apple Digital Heritage and How Does It Work?
Apple Digital Legacy ensures that your fond memories and important files, including photos and videos, remain intact even after you’re gone. The program is safe. forward your information to trusted friends or family members. Apple now allows you to add “Old contacts” to your iCloud account so family members or friends can request access to your information upon your death.
Apple Digital Legacy will be available to all users later this year on iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey. Depending on your needs, you can manage your old contacts, track your Access key, or even revoke access to the key by removing someone from your trusted contacts list.
What Data Can Old Contacts Access on Your iPhone?
When you add your friend/family member as your heir, that person can access the data stored in your account after your death. Everything your digital heritage data will include:
- Messages
- Photos
- notes
- Persons
- Calendar events
- Apps you purchased
- Backup of your device
Note that your trusted contact cannot access your iCloud Keychain or any licensed media.
How Will Old People Access Your Data After You’ve Left?
When adding a former contact to your account, Apple creates an Access Key that you must share with them. After you’re gone, your trusted person provide a copy of your death certificate and Access Key to access your data.
How to Add an Old Contact in iOS 15 on iPhone
Adding an old contact to an iCloud account in iOS 15 is simple. You can do this directly from the Apple ID section, so follow these steps:
- Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and tap on it. your profile.
2. Now, tap “.Password and Security“.
3. Then scroll down and tap “old personTap on “ and then “.Add Old Contact” button.
4. On Former Person screen, tap on “Add Old Contact” To continue. Next, enter your Apple ID credentials and sign in to your iCloud account.
5. Now, select a contact you prefer and tap on it. Go on.
6. Finally, choose how you want to do it Share your Access Key with a trusted Ex. You have the option to print a copy of the access key. Tap on “Print copySelect ” and then Print the Access key if you want to share a hard copy of your Access key.
You can also choose to send the Access Key using email apps, Airdrop, WhatsApp or other communication apps. There is also the option Save the Access Key in the Files folder on your iPhoneAs shown below.
How to Manage Old Contacts on iPhone and iPad
Managing old contacts on iPhone and iPad is just as simple. Thus, you can control trusted contacts and keep a tab on the access key. And yes, if you decide to remove someone from your trusted contacts list, you can do it without breaking a sweat.
View Your Old Contacts in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15
- Go to: Settings app Tap and on your iPhone or iPad. profile.
2. Now, “Password and Security“.
3. Then scroll down and tap “old person“.
4. You will see your old contacts listed here. Now, you must be wondering – how many old contacts can you add to your iCloud account in iOS 15? Alright, There seems to be no limit to the number of ex-persons. We were able to add up to 10 people during our testing, and we can still add more to the list.
View Access Key for Your Apple Digital Legacy Contacts
- Set route to Settings -> your profile -> Password & Security -> Old Contact.
2. Now, a old communication.
3. Next, tap on “.View Access Key“.
Remove an Old Contact on iPhone and iPad
If you want to prevent someone from accessing your Access Key, you can do so very easily. To remove an old contact from your Apple account, simply follow the steps below.
- get over your head Settings -> profile -> Password & Security -> Old contact.
2. Now select the person you do not want to have access to your personal data after death.
3. Finally, the red “To pick up” button. Now, a popup will appear from the bottom, Are you sure you want to remove “X” as your “Old Contact”? X’s access key will be removed and they won’t be able to access your account data after you pass away.” Tap Uninstall again to confirm.
Requesting Access to Account Data of a Deceased Family Member
While there’s less clarity on how a former person might request account data of a deceased family member, I’m guessing this option will be available in the Apple ID settings on iPhone and iPad. So, if you are a trusted person of your friend or family member, you can request account data from there. Additionally, iCloud will have a way to request account data from the web app as shown in the screenshot below.
Note that you will need both the Access Key and the death certificate of the deceased to download a copy of the data. As iOS 15 is still a work in progress and will eventually be available for all iPhone users this fall, we’ll update this section with step-by-step instructions as the request for legacy data becomes available. So stay tuned for more details!
Apple’s Digital Heritage Program That Will Never Let Your Legacy Die
This is how the Apple Digital Legacy program works. In an age where our devices are home to a wealth of information, along with memorable photos and videos, it’s great to have the option to pass on your death data to a trusted person. All the wonderful memories and personal files you have stored on your Apple device over the years deserve a reliable shield that will remain intact beyond your existence. What do you think about Apple Digital Legacy? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below.