What happens after death: Legacy takeover explained

Process for verified legacy access after death

SafeKeep’s legacy takeover process is designed to give trusted individuals access to a loved one’s documents, memories, and messages after they have passed away. It ensures that the right person receives the right access—securely and respectfully.

This guide explains exactly how the legacy takeover process works from start to finish.

Step 1: Being named as a legacy contact

Before anything can happen, the account holder must add you as their legacy contact. You will receive an email invitation and need to:

• Accept the invitation
• Create a SafeKeep account (if you don’t already have one)
• Use the same email address the invite was sent to

Once accepted, you will be able to see in your account that you are listed as a legacy contact for that person. You will not be able to view or access their data until the next step.

Step 2: Initiating an account takeover

After the account holder passes away, you can start the legacy takeover request. To begin:

1. Log in to your SafeKeep account
2. Find the person you are a legacy contact for
3. click the account takeover button
4. Provide the following:
   • A copy of the person’s death certificate
   • Their date of birth
   • Your SafeKeep password to confirm your identity

Step 3: Verification by SafeKeep

SafeKeep’s team will review the submitted details. This process is in place to make sure access is only given when appropriate and that the person’s information is protected.

• If the request is approved, you will receive confirmation and gain access to their Safe
• If the request is declined, you will be notified along with the reason

Step 4: Accessing the account

Once verified, you can:

• View all of their documents, memories, and messages
• Download any files to your own device
• Copy the content into your own SafeKeep account (this will count toward your own storage limit)

You cannot edit or make changes to documents inside the original account unless you copy them into your own account first.

Step 5: Account closure

After 90 days, the original user’s account and all data within it will be permanently deleted from SafeKeep’s system. Until then, you can return as needed to access or copy information.

Legacy takeover gives families and loved ones the ability to access what matters most, without confusion or delay—while maintaining security and dignity throughout the process.