How to request an account takeover
Steps for legacy users requesting access post-death
If you’ve been added as a legacy contact to someone’s SafeKeep account, you will be able to request access to their documents, messages, and memories after they have passed away. This is called an account takeover and is only available once the death has been verified.
Here’s how to request access step by step.
Step 1: Make sure you’ve accepted the legacy contact invitation
Before you can request a takeover, the account holder must have added you as their legacy contact, and you must have:
- Accepted the invitation via email
- Created a SafeKeep account using the same email address the invitation was sent to
You can confirm that you are listed as a legacy contact by logging into your SafeKeep account and viewing your Legacy contact section.
Step 2: Start the takeover request
When the account holder has passed away:
- Log in to your SafeKeep account on the web
- Go to the Legacy contacts section
- Find the person’s name and select click the account takeover button
- You’ll be guided through a short process to provide required information
Step 3: Submit verification details
To proceed with the request, you will need to provide:
- A copy of the person’s death certificate
- Their date of birth
- Your own SafeKeep password, to confirm your identity
These steps are in place to protect the account holder’s data and ensure access is only granted when appropriate.
Step 4: Await review
The SafeKeep team will review your submission. This may take a short time depending on the request. You will receive a confirmation once the request has been either:
- Approved, giving you full access to the account
- Declined, along with an explanation why
Step 5: Access the account
If approved, you will be able to:
- View the person’s documents, messages, and memories
- Download the data to your device
- Copy their documents into your own SafeKeep account (this counts toward your storage quota)
You will not be able to make changes to the original account’s data unless it has been copied into your own account.
Step 6: Account closure
You will have 90 days of access to the deceased user’s account. After this period, the account and all data will be permanently deleted from SafeKeep’s system.
Requesting an account takeover ensures the right person gains access at the right time, giving loved ones clarity and support when it’s needed most.