Digital Legacy UK: What Happens to Your Online Accounts When You Die
The average UK adult has 90+ online accounts, 1,500+ photos in the cloud, and — increasingly — some form of cryptocurrency. None of this appears in a standard will. Left unplanned, your digital life becomes inaccessible to your family, valuable assets are lost, and online identities linger indefinitely. This guide shows UK residents how to plan a digital legacy that works under England & Wales law.
The three-step digital legacy plan
- Will clause: your will authorises your executor to deal with digital assets generally
- Digital inventory: a separate, updateable document listing every account, asset, and instruction (not in the will, not public)
- Platform legacy tools: set up Apple Legacy Contact, Google Inactive Account Manager, Facebook Legacy Contact today
Why digital legacy matters more than people realise
Digital estates now routinely include material financial and sentimental value: photos and videos of a lifetime, domain names worth thousands, monetised social accounts, subscription businesses, cryptocurrency holdings, PayPal balances, air miles, loyalty points, and the countless recurring subscriptions a family will need to cancel. HMRC has confirmed that cryptoassets are property for IHT and require valuation at date of death — they are not exempt just because they are digital.
At the same time, UK law gives executors fewer automatic powers over digital accounts than they have over physical ones. Platforms are governed by contracts (terms of service) formed between the platform and the deceased individual — not the estate. The Computer Misuse Act 1990 makes unauthorised access an offence, so even a well-meaning relative logging into an account with a known password is technically committing a criminal act.
What each major platform allows (2026)
| Platform | Legacy option | What executor can do |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iCloud | Legacy Contact | Access photos, notes, backups with access key + death cert |
| Google / Gmail | Inactive Account Manager | Release selected data after inactivity period, or delete |
| Legacy Contact or Memorialise | Manage tribute page; cannot read messages | |
| Memorialisation / deletion | Immediate family request deletion or memorial | |
| Microsoft | Next-of-Kin process | Obtain a data DVD via UK court order or equivalent |
| Profile removal | Immediate family request removal with proof | |
| X (Twitter) | Account deactivation | Family can request deactivation with ID + death cert |
| PayPal | Executor process | Close account, transfer balance to estate, with grant of probate |
| Coinbase | Estate transfer | Transfer holdings to beneficiary with probate + ID |
Cryptocurrency: the irretrievable risk
Crypto has a unique problem: if the private key is lost, the asset is gone forever, regardless of probate or will. There is an estimated £20+ billion of Bitcoin alone currently unrecoverable because owners died without sharing access. Plan for this now:
- •Exchange-held crypto: leave exchange account credentials and identity docs with your executor. Each exchange has an estate process.
- •Self-custodied crypto: split your seed phrase across multiple trusted locations (e.g. one part with your solicitor, another in a bank safe deposit box, third with a family member). Never store a complete seed phrase in one place or online.
- •Hardware wallets: note the location of the device and the PIN recovery procedure, but not the seed phrase itself with the device.
- •IHT valuation: executors must value holdings at the date of death in GBP, which can create a tax liability even for hard-to-access assets. Keep a record of purchase dates and prices.
What to include in a digital asset inventory
Your Digital Assets & Legacy Inventory template covers the categories below. The inventory is stored separately from your will, is not a public document, and can be updated whenever accounts change — no new will needed.
- ✓Email accounts (primary, secondary, business)
- ✓Cloud storage (iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox)
- ✓Social media and communication (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, X)
- ✓Financial platforms (online banking logins, PayPal, Wise, investment platforms, pension portals)
- ✓Cryptocurrency exchanges and wallets
- ✓Domain names and websites you own
- ✓Monetised accounts (YouTube, Patreon, Substack, eBay, Etsy, AirBnB)
- ✓Subscriptions to cancel (Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime, gym apps)
- ✓Reward schemes (air miles, hotel points, Tesco Clubcard, Nectar)
- ✓Password manager master access (emergency recovery procedure)
- ✓Two-factor authentication device / backup codes
Set these up in the next 10 minutes
- Apple Legacy Contact: iPhone Settings → your name → Sign-In & Security → Legacy Contact. Choose a trusted person; they receive an access key to keep safe.
- Google Inactive Account Manager: myaccount.google.com/inactive. Set the period of inactivity and trusted contacts who will receive data.
- Facebook Legacy Contact: Settings & Privacy → Settings → General → Memorialisation Settings. Choose Legacy Contact, Deletion, or neither.
- Password manager emergency access: 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane all offer emergency access features — configure one for your executor.
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave my online accounts to someone in my will?+
Legally, most online accounts are licensed to you personally and cannot be transferred. However, you can leave the underlying assets (photos stored in iCloud, cryptocurrency on an exchange, a monetised YouTube channel, domain names) to a beneficiary and include instructions for your executor. Platforms each have their own policy — some cooperate with executors, some do not.
What is the law on digital legacy in the UK?+
There is no single 'digital legacy' statute in England & Wales. Executors rely on general estate administration powers under the Administration of Estates Act 1925, terms of service with each platform, and the Computer Misuse Act 1990 (which makes it an offence to access another person's account without authorisation — even if they are deceased). In practice, you rely on platform-specific legacy tools and a written list of assets in a 'digital inventory' outside the will.
Should I write my passwords in my will?+
No. A will becomes a public document once probate is granted, and anyone can request a copy for a small fee. Passwords in a will expose the estate to fraud. Instead, keep a sealed, updated digital asset inventory separate from the will, stored somewhere your executor can find it (a safe, a solicitor's deposit, a password manager with emergency access). Mention the existence of this inventory in your will, but not its contents.
What happens to my Facebook account when I die?+
Meta offers two options: memorialisation (the account becomes a tribute page managed by your nominated 'Legacy Contact') or deletion (requested by an immediate family member with a death certificate). You can nominate a Legacy Contact in your Facebook settings now — they get limited powers to pin a post, respond to friend requests, and download an archive, but not to read your messages. Instagram has a similar memorialisation process.
Can my family access my Apple iCloud after I die?+
Yes, if you nominate a 'Legacy Contact' in Apple ID settings. This gives the named person access to most of your iCloud data (photos, notes, documents, iCloud backups) by providing an access key and your death certificate. Without a Legacy Contact, families typically need a court order, which is slow and expensive. Set this up now — it takes 2 minutes in iPhone settings under Apple ID > Legacy Contact.
How do I pass on cryptocurrency in the UK?+
Crypto is property for inheritance tax and estate purposes, but without private keys or exchange credentials it is effectively lost forever. Record (in your separate digital inventory, not your will): what you own, which wallets or exchanges it's on, how to access hardware wallets, seed phrases (in a secure split-storage system), and who should inherit. Exchanges like Coinbase have inheritance processes — research the ones you use. See HMRC's guidance on cryptoassets for IHT valuation.
What is a digital executor?+
An informal title for someone (either your main executor or a specifically nominated assistant) who handles your digital estate. They might be tech-savvier than your legal executor. English law does not give them separate legal powers — they operate under the executor's authority. Name them in a 'letter of wishes' or your digital inventory, and ensure your main executor knows they can delegate digital tasks.
Do I need a separate digital will?+
No separate legal document is required. What you need is: (1) your main will, which includes a clause covering digital assets and authorising your executor to access and deal with them; (2) a digital asset inventory stored separately (not in the will), listing accounts and assets; (3) platform-specific legacy tools set up now (Apple Legacy Contact, Google Inactive Account Manager, Facebook Legacy Contact).
Document your digital life in 20 minutes
Our Digital Assets & Legacy Inventory is a structured template covering 50+ account types, with a separate secure-storage section for crypto, and platform-specific instructions for Apple, Google, and Meta. Pair it with a Single Will Kit for a complete plan.
General information, not legal or cyber-security advice. Platform policies change frequently — always verify the current process on the platform itself before relying on this guide.