Google Adds Inactive Account Manager
Google has added a new feature called “Inactive Account Manager” to their website which is available to anyone with a Gmail account. It sounds kinda fancy and all but what it’s really for is to alert and allow your loved ones to access your account after you’re dead.
To get started, go to your Google account setup page then look near the bottom where it says “Account Management.” Under that heading, you will see “Inactive Account Manager” or go directly there.
You can setup your account so that after it has been inactive for a specified period of time, it will contact a “trusted” person with information that will allow them to gain access to your data. You can also setup your account to automatically be deleted after everything has been shared.
When setting up your account, you will enter the email address or name of your trusted contact, as shown below. You can also enter your mobile number in the setup so that you will get an email and/or text message before your account is determined to be inactive.
Everything about this setup is somewhat morbid to some and there are people who do not like thinking about their own death. But for the same reason why you have life insurance, a will, or a living will, is the same reason why you should set this up if you have a Google account. Like life insurance, it’s not really for you. It’s to make things easier for your loved ones.