Hack of the day: Set a digital legacy plan for your Google account

In today’s digital-first world, your Google account often holds more than just emails — it can contain family photos, business records, financial documents, and personal memories stored across Gmail, Drive, and Google Photos. But what happens if you’re inactive for a long period or something unexpected occurs? Without a plan, loved ones may struggle to access important information. Google’s Inactive Account Manager offers a solution. It allows you to set up a digital legacy plan, deciding who should be notified and what data they can access if your account goes inactive. This ensures your family or trusted contacts can retrieve essential files without compromising your privacy.

Steps to setup digital legacy plan for Google account

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• li1Visit Google Account settings

Log in to your Google account and open the settings menu to access privacy and data options.

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• li1Open Inactive Account Manager

Navigate to Data and Privacy and look for Inactive Account Manager or digital legacy settings.

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• li1Choose inactivity period

Set how long Google should wait before treating your account as inactive, from 3 months to 18 months.

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• li1Add trusted contacts

Select family members or trusted individuals who should be notified if your account becomes inactive.

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• li1Select data to share

Decide which Google services (like Gmail, Drive, or Photos) your contacts can access.

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• li1Review and confirm settings

Check your preferences carefully and update or remove access when no longer needed.

Note

This step is especially important if your account contains family memories, business records, or financial documents. Delegating access ensures continuity while protecting sensitive information.