End-of-life planning is one of the most powerful and compassionate steps you can take for your loved ones. And in a digital world, this increasingly involves planning for what happens to your data, the information that holds your memories, your documents, and often, your financial well-being. 

Most iPhone users today have the option to assign a Legacy Contact, someone who can access your iCloud account after your passing. Once verified, your chosen contact receives access to your photos, messages, notes, files, and other content stored in your Apple account. 

This feature is deeply integrated into Apple’s ecosystem and works well if: 

• You primarily use Apple devices. 

• You store most of your important data in iCloud. 

• You trust one person with full access to your digital life. 

However, as with many broad features built for mass adoption, it helps to understand what it was designed for and where its scope naturally ends.  

A single key, a single path 

The central mechanism behind Legacy Contact is the access key, a digital code that your contact must keep safe. This key, along with a copy of your death certificate, unlocks your iCloud data. It’s simple. But it’s also fragile. There is no built-in safeguard if the access key is lost, deleted, misplaced, or never handed over. A printout can fade or be discarded. A saved screenshot may vanish during a phone upgrade. And unless the key is properly stored and remembered, access, however well-intended, may never actually happen.  

What you get, and what you don’t  

Once access is granted, it’s comprehensive. Your Legacy Contact receives access to your entire iCloud account, from photos and messages to notes, files, and documents. But for many, not everything in their iCloud is meant to be part of their legacy. Some data is deeply personal, not intended to be viewed, even by close family. Other information is practical and necessary, such as a will, insurance papers, or passwords. Legacy Contact doesn’t differentiate between the two categories. It doesn’t allow you to assign certain files to certain people or to hold back parts of your account. The moment access is granted, it’s total and irreversible. 

This model works well for simple, linear estates, but may not reflect the nuances of real life, where different people may need different pieces of information at different times. 

Full access, zero discretion  

Legacy Contact opens the door, but it doesn’t provide a map. Your contact receives your iCloud account as it exists: folders, apps, notes, and media, all as you left them. For those unfamiliar with your digital habits, this can be disorienting. They may not know where to look. Vital documents may be buried in everyday files. Messages may be mixed with memories, and passwords may be scattered or unsaved. 

There’s no central index, no labelling system designed for clarity after loss, no way to indicate what matters most. In times of grief, this lack of structure can turn a well-intended legacy into a confusing archive. 

One contact, one moment 

Legacy Contact allows you to nominate one or more people, but they all receive the same level of access. You can’t assign different people to different categories of information, and there’s no way to stagger access over time. Everything is revealed all at once, after your passing. This can be limiting. 

Real-life legacies aren’t one-size-fits-all. You may want to share some information, like a medical directive, during your lifetime, while keeping other documents, like a will, private until later. You may want to entrust financial access to one person, and personal messages to another. Legacy Contact, as it stands, isn’t designed for this level of flexibility. 

Platform dependent on one ecosystem 

Legacy Contact is built into Apple’s world. It works best if your digital life exists entirely within Apple’s ecosystem. But most people today have a fragmented digital footprint. Important files may live in Google Drive. Bank documents may be sent via email. Passwords might be stored in a separate manager. Paperwork might be scanned and saved elsewhere. Legacy Contact can’t unify these threads. It opens the Apple door, but only that door. 

A powerful feature, but just that 

Legacy Contact is a good start. It’s accessible, secure, and integrated into devices millions already use. For many, it may be enough. For those seeking more structured, assured, and organized planning, especially when multiple people and types of information are involved, it may prompt the need to think beyond. WALLT was designed from day one for secure end-of-life planning. It goes far beyond data storage. It lets you organise your legacy, decide exactly who sees what, ensure access is granted securely and appropriately, and most importantly, protect your privacy even after you’re gone. WALLT is a plan, not just a feature. Explore WALLT today.
 

WALLT: A comprehensive end-of-life planning solution