What Happens to Your Photos and Cloud Storage When You Die?

Ask yourself where your family photos actually live. For most Australians the honest answer is “on my phone, and somewhere in the cloud”. The cloud part is the problem. Your family can inherit a box of prints without any paperwork. They cannot automatically inherit a locked account.

Why this is harder than it looks

Photos stored with tech companies are governed by that company’s terms of service and account security, not only by your will. Rules for what an executor can legally access differ by provider and jurisdiction, and the law in this area is still developing. Speak to a solicitor in your state or territory about digital assets. What you can control today is the provider’s own legacy settings.

What the big providers offer

Features change, so confirm on each provider’s help page.

Apple (iCloud): You can nominate a Legacy Contact. After death, that person can request access using an access key you give them and a copy of the death certificate.
Google (Google Photos, Drive, Gmail): Inactive Account Manager lets you choose people to be notified, and optionally share data, if your account is unused for a period you set.
Facebook and Instagram (Meta): You can name a legacy contact or choose to have the account deleted. A memorialised account stays as a tribute page.
Microsoft (OneDrive): Access for family typically needs a formal request process. Check Microsoft’s current policy.
Dropbox and others: Policies differ. Many require documents proving death and authority to act.

A 20-minute action list

List where your photos live: phone, iCloud, Google Photos, Facebook, an old laptop, a hard drive in a cupboard.
Set a legacy contact or inactive-account setting on each major account.
Tell your executor and one trusted family member where this list is stored. Do not email passwords in plain text.
Use a reputable password manager with an emergency-access feature.
Download a full copy of your photos once a year onto a drive that is kept at home or with family.
Name your best photos. A folder called “Mum’s 70th, Lorne, 2019” is worth more to a grandchild than 4,000 files named IMG_0112.
Add a line to your will or funeral wishes about who should receive your digital photos. See funeral wishes vs your will.

Do not forget the stories

A photo without its story fades in a generation. Write who is in the picture, where it was, and why it mattered. Our guide to preserving family photos explains how, and writing your life story shows how to turn photos into narrative. If you are sorting your digital life more broadly, start with digital accounts after death and the documents checklist.

Keep photos, stories and wishes in one place

Lifebook Memories lets you store photos with their stories, record funeral wishes and key documents, and decide who can see what and when. Your family gets one place to look instead of ten logins to guess.

General information only, not legal advice. Provider policies and Australian law change. Check current provider help pages and speak to a solicitor about digital assets in your state or territory.

Before publishing

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