You've decided to prepare your digital legacy with EchoPass. Excellent choice. This tutorial guides you step by step to configure your account and dead man's switch in under 30 minutes.

Before You Start

Take a few minutes to think through these questions. Your answers will guide your configuration:

  • Who do you want to designate as recipient(s)? (partner, children, close friends)
  • What inactivity delay do you want? (15, 30, 60, 90 days...)
  • What types of information do you want to transmit? (passwords, personal messages, practical instructions)
  • Do you need separate messages for different recipients?

Step 1: Create Your Account

Visit vault.echopass.app/register.

When creating your account:

Choose a strong password: this password is the encryption key for all your messages. If you forget it, no one (including EchoPass) can recover your data. Note it somewhere safe, ideally in your password manager.

Use your real email address: this is where you'll receive check-in reminders. Make sure you check it regularly.

Understand the security architecture: your password is transformed into a cryptographic key by Argon2id. This key encrypts your messages with XChaCha20-Poly1305 in your browser. EchoPass never sees your password or your message content.

Step 2: Choose Your Plan

EchoPass offers several plans adapted to your needs. Visit our pricing page to compare options.

The free plan lets you start and test the service before committing.

Step 3: Configure Your Recipients

In your account settings, add your recipients:

  • Name: what you call them
  • Email: their email address (double-check the spelling!)
  • Associated message: you can associate different messages with each recipient

Tip: let your recipients know they might one day receive an email from EchoPass. Explain the principle to them so they don't ignore the message as spam.

Step 4: Set Your Inactivity Delay

Choose how long without logging in triggers the sending of your messages. See our guide on optimal check-in frequency to choose the right delay.

In summary:

  • 30 days: if you connect to the internet regularly
  • 60 days: if you sometimes travel long without connectivity
  • 90 days: if you have high-risk activities or very long trips

Step 5: Write Your Messages

This is the most important step. Take the time you need.

Section 1: Personal Introduction

Start with a few personal words to contextualize the message. "If you're receiving this message, it means..."

Section 2: Urgent Practical Information

  • Access to your primary email
  • Your phone PIN
  • Your password manager's master password
  • Location of important documents

Section 3: Digital Inventory

  • Online bank accounts
  • Active subscriptions to cancel
  • Cryptocurrencies and wallets
  • Domain names or websites

Section 4: Specific Instructions

  • What to do with each important account
  • Your wishes for your social media accounts
  • How to recover your photos and memories

Section 5: Personal Message

End with a heartfelt message. Your loved ones need your words beyond the practical information.

Step 6: Configure Reminders

EchoPass sends you reminder emails before your messages are triggered. Configure these reminders to be notified with enough advance notice.

A reminder 30 days before gives you time to log in even if you have a longer-than-usual period of inactivity.

Step 7: Your First Check-In

Once your account is configured, perform your first check-in. This confirms your activity and resets the inactivity counter.

The check-in habit: incorporate the check-in into your routine. Some users do it weekly (when checking their emails), others with each login to their password manager.

Step 8: Test Your Configuration

Before finalizing everything, verify:

  • Is each recipient's email address correct? Send them a test email.
  • Is your message complete and up to date?
  • Have you included all truly important information?
  • Is the chosen delay appropriate to your lifestyle?

Regular Maintenance

A configured but forgotten dead man's switch can become problematic. Plan for:

Annually: review and update your messages (new accounts, password changes, new important information).

After each major change: immediate update if you change email, bank, or add an important digital asset.

After each check-in: take the opportunity to verify everything is current.

Create your EchoPass account now and start preparing your digital legacy securely.