It might seem grim to think about it, but what happens with your iPhone if you die? Have you considered that maybe your spouse or family members might want access to your pictures and text messages on your phone for their memories or to see what happened to you last? While it’s not something we think about often, it’s a good idea to discuss this topic with your family members- especially older parents- so that it’s easier if and when this comes up later down the road.
Starting in iOS 15.2, you can set up a Legacy Contact for Apple devices, which makes it easy to decide what happens to your data when you die. Lifehacker.com recently reviewed this process and showed us how easy it is to set this up- and it’s a great thing to set up now in advance: https://lifehacker.com/how-to-pass-on-your-iphone-data-after-you-die-1848213939
While you’re at it, also consider setting up an Emergency Contact on your phone. This sets up who is notified if you are hurt or in an accident, and is a great resource for first responders and medical professionals that need to get ahold of your family. That is set by going to Settings –> Emergency SOS –> and Emergency Contact (or in Settings –> Health –> Medical ID). It’s also a good idea to add health conditions like allergies or chronic health conditions to this record that might affect emergency care you would receive.
While you might not be there to thank me for this timely reminder to set this up….but your family or next-of-kin will be quite thankful!
