Your Digital Life — Keeping It Safe and Organised

📋 Your Digital Inventory — Start Here

Take a few minutes to write down every online account you have. Include:

• Email accounts (Gmail, Outlook, Rogers, etc.)
• Social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
• Online shopping (Amazon, etc.)
• Banking and financial accounts
• Streaming services (Netflix, etc.)
• Any apps that required you to create an account

Keep this list somewhere safe — not on your phone, but perhaps in a notebook at home.

✅ Keep These Accounts

• Your primary email address — everything important is connected here
• Online banking — essential and secure
• Any account you use regularly (at least monthly)
• Apple ID — needed for your iPhone and iPad

🗑️ Consider Closing These

• Old email addresses you no longer check
• Shopping accounts at stores you haven't visited in years
• Social media accounts you never use
• Subscriptions you forgot you signed up for

To close an account: look for Settings or Account on the website, then look for Delete account or Close account.

☁️ iCloud Photos — The Simplest Backup

iCloud Photos automatically backs up every photo you take to the cloud. When turned on, your photos are safe even if your phone is lost or broken.

To turn on iCloud Photos: Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → Photos → toggle on iCloud Photos.

Free iCloud storage: 5GB. This fills up quickly. Consider upgrading to iCloud+ (50GB for $1.29/month) if you take many photos.

🗂️ Organising Your Photos

In the Photos app, you can create Albums to organise your photos by event, person, or year.

1. Open Photos and tap Albums at the bottom.
2. Tap the + button at the top left.
3. Choose New Album and give it a name.
4. Select photos to add to the album.

📝 Your Digital Key List

Consider creating a physical, handwritten list of your most important accounts and how to access them. Store it in the same place as your will or other important documents — not on your phone.

Include: email address, Apple ID (your iCloud login), online banking login, and any other critical accounts.

🍎 Apple Legacy Contact

Apple has a feature called Legacy Contact that lets you designate someone who can access your Apple account after you pass away.

To set one up: Settings → [Your Name] → Password & Security → Legacy Contact → Add Legacy Contact.

📱 What Happens to Your Accounts

• Apple: Your Legacy Contact (set up in Section 4) can request access. Without one, accounts become inaccessible.
• Facebook: Family can request a "Memorialised" account (preserved as a tribute) or deletion.
• Google/Gmail: Google has an Inactive Account Manager — you can decide what happens to your account after a period of inactivity.
• Email: Your family can request access from providers with a death certificate.

📋 Tell Someone

The simplest digital estate plan is also the most effective: tell a trusted family member where your digital key list is kept, and what your Apple ID email address is.

You do not need a lawyer for this. You just need one conversation.

📧 Unsubscribing from Email Lists

If you get emails from stores, charities, or websites that you no longer want, scroll to the very bottom of any email and look for an Unsubscribe link.

This is completely safe to do. You will stop receiving emails from that sender.

🗑️ Deleting Old Emails

Most people have hundreds or thousands of emails they no longer need. You can safely delete old emails.

In Gmail or Apple Mail: select multiple emails at once, then tap Delete.

📱 Deleting Apps You Don't Use

Apps you downloaded and never used are taking up space on your device. Press and hold any app icon until it wiggles, then tap the X or minus sign to delete it.

If you accidentally delete an app you need, you can always re-download it from the App Store for free.

📸 A Photo Album for Your Family

Consider creating a dedicated iCloud Shared Album called "Family Memories" and inviting your children or grandchildren. Add photos regularly. This becomes a living family archive that everyone can access.

🎥 A Video Message

One of the most meaningful things you can do with your phone is record a short video message to your family — not for any urgent reason, but simply to say what you love about them, what you hope for them, and what you want them to remember.

Open the Camera app. Switch to Video. Press the red button. Speak from the heart. Save it in your photo library and tell a trusted family member it's there.

📝 A Note to Leave

The Notes app on your iPhone lets you write a note that can be shared with family. Some people write a brief note that tells family where important information is kept — where the will is, who to call, what their wishes are. Simple, practical, and incredibly kind.