It’s hard enough to lose someone without feeling like Apple is fighting you. Here’s what you can do about someone’s iPhone, their iTunes content, and that Family trusts you all when a loved one dies.
No question. When someone dies, Apple should pass all the content – iCloud data, iTunes movies, apps – to the person closest to them or whoever is listed in the will. You can be sure that even Apple thinks that, but thinks it’s not the same as being able to do it.
If Apple had an easy way to move someone ‘s software and media purchases, you could be confident that people would do it. But, unfortunately, the potential could be easily misused.
So this is probably the final test of Apple ‘s position on privacy, and it would be interesting to examine the theory and practice of what the company can, should, or will do. Except, if you’ve lost someone recently, you don’t want a theory, you want a solution.
There is no one simple answer, but there are many options, some of which we can all set in advance. It all comes down to what you do with data, and what you do with devices – and what Apple does too.
“Every day, people around the world save important documents, memories and more on their Apple devices and in iCloud,” Apple said in a supporting document. “At Apple, we believe that privacy is a fundamental human right, and customers expect us to help keep their information private and secure at all times. If a customer dies, Apple will not. able to find out if they would like their information to be shared with anyone or with whom they would like to share it. ”
What Apple has after your death
- Get a court order authorizing you as a next of kin
- Please contact Apple Support with that and the death certificate
This is what you get for not reading the terms and conditions. In its iCloud legal agreement, Apple dictates that there is no “No Survivorship Right,” for your Apple ID account and its contents.
Apple still can’t unlock an iPhone for anyone
And, of course, “upon receipt of a copy of a death certificate your account may be terminated and all content in your account may be erased.”
That feels like the end of all legal documents. However, Apple will give you a few other options. This is where no one can give you step by step instructions because you need to discuss your situation with Apple support.
However, before contacting them, Apple requires that you obtain a court order confirming that you are “legally inheriting the personal information of their loved one.” That court order must contain certain information, from the name of the. deceased and Apple ID, to confirm that the court ordered Apple to assist.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the surviving family members,” Apple said in another separate supporting document. or the tools you want. ”
Apple notes that if a passcode protects the deceased’s device, it will not and cannot unlock it.
Usually occurs, including family division
- Apple Support usually passes your Apple ID to you
- Go to iCloud.com to access any data quickly
- Set up an iPhone with the Apple ID of the deceased
- If the deceased was a family division organizer, delete the family group
- Export, Distribute or Save All Data You Need
All things being equal, getting a court order means that the Apple ID of the deceased can be passed on to you. This would not unlock their iPhone, but it would mean that you could set up another iPhone with their information and recover anything saved in iCloud.
Of course, this applies to the data the person has created, such as their emails and documents. It does not apply to their Apple Music subscription, or their movie collection.
Theoretically, it expands into the division of their family. It would be best if the deceased was the organizer of your family division, you could transfer their property to someone else.
All you have to do instead is remove their Family Sharing options, deactivate everyone, and then create a new one on your account. As you add people to your new Sharing Family account, they will be able to use a pre-purchase from any of the other members.
So if you now own the deceased’s Apple ID, you can add that to the new group. And then anything bought through that should be available to the whole family.
What to do about iPhones and iPads after death
You may want or need to dispose of the deceased’s iPhone or iPad. Before you sell, if you trade or gift it, however, you need to prepare the machine, and it is the easiest way to get to it first.
If you are not on it, then after you contact Apple, they may be able to delete the device. Another thing, you need to know the passcode on the iPhone or iPad.
All of this means that, in theory, the best option is to tell someone in your family what your ID and passcode are before you die. That’s fine and sensible, as long as none of you write that information down and pop magnet frids over the piece of paper.
It’s also, unfortunately, also just strong and sensible if you keep happy to trust that person. There are reasons why it may not be, but Apple has published guidelines to help with that.
Apple ‘s new document on protecting your device and data
“Machine access and data when personal safety is at risk,” is somehow both a dull and soundproof 20-page guide to protect your data. It specifies how to put someone off if you change your mind about them, and is an important guide.
That is for your own protection in regular life. When the situation is that someone has died and you are the relative, Apple does not have such complete guidance, at least not in public.
If you do not have the passcodes of the deceased, you must contact Apple support. No one wants to charge you more for doing what is really necessary, however, so you can expect Apple fans to make it as simple as possible.