Losing a loved one is already a painful experience. Dealing with an unmanaged digital estate on top of grief — locked accounts, unknown passwords, lost data — makes it even harder. A digital will is the answer to this growing problem. Here's how to create one effectively.

What Is a Digital Will?

A digital will (sometimes called a "digital estate plan") is a document or set of instructions that tells your loved ones how to access your online accounts and digital assets after your death. Unlike a traditional will, it doesn't legally transfer property ownership — it simply provides the access keys needed to manage or close your online accounts.

A digital will can include:

  • A list of all your online accounts (email, banking, social media, subscriptions)
  • Instructions for accessing each account
  • Your wishes about what to do with each account (keep, close, memorialize)
  • Personal messages left to loved ones
  • Recovery information (backup codes, security questions)

Why It's Essential Today

Estimates suggest tens of millions of active accounts belong to deceased individuals. Facebook alone is projected to have more deceased users than living ones within a few decades. Without clear instructions, your loved ones face a kafkaesque digital bureaucracy to access your data or close your accounts.

The practical consequences are real:

  • Online bank accounts: access blocked without credentials
  • Crypto wallets: funds permanently lost without the private key
  • Active subscriptions: charges continuing month after month
  • Photos and memories: inaccessible if stored in the cloud without a password
  • Professional emails: important information locked away

How to Write a Digital Will in 5 Steps

1. Inventory Your Digital Assets

Start by listing all your accounts and digital assets. Categorize them:

  • Financial: online banking, PayPal, cryptocurrencies, trading accounts
  • Communication: emails, messaging apps, social media
  • Storage: Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive
  • Professional: LinkedIn, work tools, web domains
  • Entertainment: Netflix, Spotify, gaming accounts

2. Choose a Secure Transmission Method

Never write your passwords on paper left in a drawer. The risk of theft or accidental discovery is too high. Several options are available:

  • A password manager with emergency access (e.g., Bitwarden Emergency Access)
  • A specialized end-to-end encrypted service like EchoPass
  • A digital safe with a notary

3. Write Your Messages and Instructions

Beyond technical access, write clear instructions for each account: should it be closed, turned into a memorial, or kept active temporarily? Also draft personal messages if you wish — a letter to your children, words for your loved ones.

4. Designate a Digital Executor

Choose a trusted person (digital executor) who will be responsible for carrying out your instructions. Inform them of their role while you're alive and make sure they know how to access the information when the time comes.

5. Automate Delivery with a Dead Man's Switch

The most secure solution is to use a dead man's switch service like EchoPass. If you don't log in for a defined period (for example, 30 days), the service automatically sends your pre-written messages to your designated recipients. Your information is permanently encrypted, and no one — not even EchoPass — can read it before it's sent.

What Not to Do

  • Don't send passwords by email: it's not secure and email can be compromised
  • Don't include banking credentials in your traditional will: wills are often made public
  • Don't procrastinate: an accident can happen at any time

Get Started Today

Creating a digital will only takes a few hours. EchoPass lets you store encrypted messages and configure their automatic delivery in case of prolonged absence. Your data is protected by XChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption and hosted in Switzerland.

Start for free on EchoPass — no credit card required to get started.