Death is inevitable, and it will happen to us all. But what happens to your online accounts when you go? A lot of people may not give this thought, but Google has made provisions for users to deactivate their account after they die.

 

Google has tools that help users to manage what happens to their account upon their demise. It lets you choose to share everything like your Google Photos, Maps, Gmail and others with up 10 other people.

 

The company has a lot of information about its users’ stores in its servers. Google will now let you set up options like deleting everything automatically after your death. You can also set it up for when your account has been inactive for a long time.

 

 

Here is how you can automatically tell Google what do with all your private information when you stop using their products.

• First, go to myaccount.google.com.
• Click ‘Data and Personalisation’.
• Scroll down and select ‘Make a Plan for your Account’.
• Click ‘Start’.

 

This is when the configuration will begin. Google’s account manager will help you configure what happens to the account when you die.

 

• Now, choose how long Google should wait after noticing you have been completely inactive. There is a default of three months of inactivity, but you can change it till as long as 18 months.

 

Google reveals that it will reach out a month before the time elapses with emails and text messages before they totally deactivate the account.

 

 

• You will need to provide your phone number so that Google can reach you via text message before deleting everything.
• You will also need to provide your correct email address for them to contact you for recovery.
• Then tap Next.
• Now, set up who can gain access to manage your accounts and see your information. You can do this to decide what people will see after you permanently delete your Google services or pass away.
• You can also choose what to share with your backup contacts: that can be up to 10 people. Furthermore, you can choose what you will like to share with them.

 

They will have access to all your data for three months after the account has been inactive. Most people will pick a spouse, sibling or a close friend.

 

• You can also automatically set an auto-reply to your Gmail account as a response when you receive an email. This will be a message saying that you are no longer using your Gmail or that you have passed on.
• Then press ‘Next’. This is where you will choose if you want your account to be automatically deleted after one of your contacts have had three months to look everything over.
• Click ‘Review Plan’.
• Now tap ‘Confirm Plan’ to officially set up the Google account to automatically take action when you stop using it.