At a Glance
Inactive Account Manager
Triggers after 3 to 18 months of inactivity, notifying trusted contacts so they can download designated data.
SupportedData sharing control
You can specify exactly which services, like Gmail, Drive and Photos, each trusted contact can access.
SupportedNo legacy contact role
Google has no formal legacy contact role. Access depends entirely on advance setup.
Not supportedNo memorialization
Google does not offer any memorialization option for deceased users.
Not supportedOverview
Google's Inactive Account Manager is a tool that lets users plan what happens to their data after extended inactivity. While it offers data control, Google does not have a formal legacy contact system and has no memorialization option.
Inactive Account Manager
Google's Inactive Account Manager triggers after a specified period of inactivity (3 to 18 months). At that point, trusted contacts are notified and can download designated data. This is a proactive system. It is not triggered by a death notification or certificate.
Data Sharing Control
You can specify exactly which Google services each trusted contact can access, which includes Gmail, Drive, Photos, YouTube and more. You also control how long the data remains accessible after the sharing period is activated.
No Legacy Contact Role
Google has no formal legacy contact role. Trusted contacts are notified and given data access only if the Inactive Account Manager was configured in advance.
No Memorialization
Google does not offer any memorialization option for deceased users. Family members can submit a request to close the account but this requires legal documentation and offers no tribute or preserved profile.
User Reviews
Alex R.
April 2025
Helpful to understand what options are available before anything happens. Wish more platforms offered legacy contacts.
Jamie L.
March 2025
The policy exists but navigating the setup is not straightforward. Could be made much more accessible.
Morgan T.
February 2025
One of the better implementations compared to other platforms. Setting up took only a few minutes.