Have you ever wondered what would happen to your Gmail, Google Photos or YouTube data if you suffered a serious accident or died? There is the option of creating a digital will, but if you do not want to carry out a procedure before a notary, you can rest assured. The search giant has a somewhat unknown feature that allows you to name a digital heir for your Google account.
With it, you will be able to choose who will be in charge of your accounts and will have decision-making power over the information that is handled in them when you are no longer there. This is an option similar to the one Facebook has, which allows you to choose a Facebook legacy contact.
However, choosing an heir for your Google account is not a very popular option or one that is readily apparent. That’s why here you will find a step by step on how to designate a trusted person to become the digital heir of your Google account.
How to bequeath your Google account
Entrusting your Google account to another person to manage it in the event of your death is an option that does not allow just one heir, but up to ten.
Additionally, thanks to this function you can configure the auto-delete of your profile to run at a certain time. As may be, for example, when your loved ones have managed to leave everything in order with your Google records after you leave.
Without further ado, these are the steps you have to follow to designate an heir at Google:
Step by step to designate an heir at Google
– Log in with your details and enter the general account settings, preferably through Gmail.
– Now, click on the “Personal information and privacy” section.
– Navigate through the list of options below until you find the “Assign an account manager” tab.
– On the right hand side you will be able to see an entry identified as “Inactive Account Manager”, enter there and press “Change this setting”.
– Read the explanation about the usefulness of this function and then press the blue “Start” button.
– Choose how long Google should wait without you signing in to classify the account as “Inactive”.
– The next thing will be to add your heir’s email address. Remember that said email does not necessarily have to be Gmail.
– Now, in the next step you will have to indicate which applications the individual will be able to access.
– Confirm the selection by adding your heir’s phone number and, if you wish, add a personalized message in case you want to leave any extra instructions.
– You can also set up a message that will be automatically sent to any sender who tries to contact you after the account becomes inactive.
– Finally, you will also have the possibility to set a time limit to permanently delete your Google account automatically.
– Ready, you can now confirm all your preferences.
