Apple ID Legacy Contact on iOS 15: How It Works

Apple's Legacy Contact feature, introduced in iOS 15.2, provides a secure way to pass down your personal digital data to trusted friends or family members after you pass away. This article explains how the Legacy Contact system functions on iOS 15, detailing how to set up a contact, what data is shared, how access keys operate, and the steps required for a designated contact to request access to an account.

What is Apple's Legacy Contact?

The Legacy Contact feature is part of Apple's Digital Legacy program. It allows you to assign up to five trusted individuals who can access your iCloud account and personal information in the event of your death. Prior to this feature, accessing a deceased relative's Apple account required a complex legal process or court order, which rarely guaranteed data retrieval.

How to Set Up a Legacy Contact on iOS 15

To configure a Legacy Contact on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 15.2 or later:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap your Apple ID banner at the top.
  3. Select Password & Security.
  4. Tap Legacy Contact.
  5. Select Add Legacy Contact and authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
  6. Choose a contact from your family sharing group or your address book.

The Access Key

Once you assign a contact, Apple generates a unique access key. This key is critical; a legacy contact cannot access your data without it.

  • If the contact uses iOS 15.2 or later: You can send the access key directly through Messages. If they accept, a copy of the key is automatically stored in their Apple ID settings.
  • If the contact does not use an Apple device: You must print a physical copy of the access key or send them a PDF to keep with their estate planning documents.

What Data Can and Cannot Be Accessed

When granted access, a Legacy Contact can download or view most personal data stored in iCloud, including:

  • iCloud Photos and Videos
  • Notes, Reminders, and Contacts
  • Messages and call history
  • Voice memos and files stored in iCloud Drive
  • Device backups

The contact cannot access end-to-end encrypted credentials, such as saved passwords in iCloud Keychain, health data, or payment information. They also do not inherit licensed media, such as movies, music, or apps purchased on the account.

How a Legacy Contact Requests Access

When the account owner passes away, the designated contact must submit a formal request to Apple to access the data. The contact must provide two things:

  1. The generated Access Key.
  2. A valid, government-issued Death Certificate.

Requests can be submitted directly through Apple's Digital Legacy portal online or through an Apple device's settings menu.

What Happens After Approval

Apple reviews the documentation. Once the request is approved:

  • The deceased user's Apple ID is deactivated, and Activation Lock is removed from their devices so they can be erased and reused.
  • The legacy contact receives a special Legacy Contact Apple ID to log in and download the deceased user's data.
  • Access is granted for a limited time—typically three years—after which the deceased user's account and all associated data are permanently deleted from Apple's servers.