Sunday 12th October 2025 How Do You Deal With Digital Legacy in a Will? Digital legacy is everything you own or control online that will outlive you. It can include: Email accounts (Gmail, Outlook, iCloud) Social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn) Cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive) Photos and videos stored online Online banking, PayPal, Stripe, Wise Online-only businesses (Etsy, eBay, Shopify, Gumroad) Subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify, Apple, Amazon) Domain names and websites Loyalty/rewards accounts Digital assets (ebooks, music, software licences) Cryptocurrency and NFTs Some of these have sentimental value (family photos, social media posts). This is the tricky bit. On the one hand, your executor needs access. On the other hand, you must not put all your passwords in your Will. Why not? Your Will can become a public document after probate Passwords change It’s unsafe to put login details in a static legal document So instead of putting passwords in the Will, do this: Create a digital assets list Use a password manager Tell your executor how to access the manager a trusted contact feature an emergency access feature or written instructions stored somewhere safe (NOT in the Will) Give permission in your Will Keep it updated Crypto needs its own mention because it’s easy to lose and hard to recover. Key points: Crypto isn’t like a bank account — there’s no “forgot password” button for your private keys. If no one knows you have it, or where the wallet is, or what the seed phrase is… it’s gone. If you keep your seed phrase in your Will, that’s insecure. Best practice: Acknowledge it in your Will Keep seed phrases / private keys separate Document the platforms Explain your intentions Consider two-step access Usually: no. What you need is: A normal Will that: appoints executors gives them explicit authority to access and deal with digital assets says your digital assets form part of your estate A separate, non-public document (sometimes called a digital assets register or inventory) that: lists your accounts says what you want done with them (delete / memorialise / transfer / archive) tells them where to find passwords/seed phrases Optionally, a letter of wishes “Please download and share all family photos with X” “Please close all social media accounts except Facebook — set to memorial” “Please keep my personal blog online for 12 months” You can speak to a professional for wording, but in general your Will should: confirm that your “property” includes digital assets authorise your executors to access, manage, download, transfer or delete your digital assets authorise them to contact service providers (e.g. Google, Apple, Meta) to request access/closure point to any separate guidance you’ve left Social media: some platforms (Facebook, Google, Apple) let you set a “legacy contact” or “inactive account manager” now — do it while you’re alive. Paid subscriptions: someone needs to cancel them, or your account keeps paying. Domain names/websites: if no one renews them, they expire — this can matter for family businesses. Shared storage: family photos in one person’s iCloud/Google Photos get lost if no one can access them. Privacy: you can ask for some digital content to be deleted, not passed on. Digital stuff doesn’t automatically sort itself out when you die. Your Will should mention digital assets. Your passwords/keys should be kept outside the Will, but signposted in it. Crypto needs extra care. In most cases, one Will is enough — just drafted with the digital world in mind.
What is digital legacy?
Some have financial value (PayPal balance, crypto, online business).
Some are just admin (bills, accounts, domains).How to handle passwords securely?
Make a separate document that lists your important online accounts and what they are (e.g. “Facebook account”, “Gmail (personal)”, “PayPal business”, “Binance account”, “Shopify store”).
Store your logins in a secure password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass, etc.). Then in your Will, you can give your executor authority to access “my password manager and any related digital accounts for the purpose of administering my estate.”
This can be done via:
Because of privacy laws and computer misuse legislation, it’s helpful to include wording that says your executors are allowed to access, download and delete your digital accounts. It shows your intention.
Your logins change way more often than your Will — so keep the separate list updated, not the Will itself.What about cryptocurrency?
Say that you own digital assets/cryptocurrency and that your executors are authorised to access and distribute them.
Store them offline in a secure location (safe, bank deposit box, encrypted file) and tell your executor where to find them.
Note whether it’s on an exchange (Coinbase, Kraken, Binance) or self-custody (Ledger, Trezor, software wallet). Access steps are different.
Do you want it sold and converted to GBP? Passed as crypto to someone who knows how to look after it? Split? Your Will (or a letter of wishes) can say.
For high-value crypto, some people use a “2 people needed to unlock” approach so that no single person can just take it.Do I need a separate Will to cover this?
Most people don’t need a separate “digital Will”.
This isn’t a formal Will but can guide your executors on things like:
What should I actually put in my Will?
Extra things people forget
In summary
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