Breaking into a phone after a death: costly, uncertain and not your choice

A modern phone is well protected. That is good while you are alive. After a death, the same protection works against your loved ones. Without the PIN, password or pattern they cannot reach the photos, the videos, the messages or the apps.

Next of kin are often advised to simply reset the device. That permanently wipes everything that was only on the phone. And a recent device often still cannot be used after a reset without the account details of the previous owner.

There are specialist companies that can recover the passcode of a phone with special hardware and software, without losing the data. One of those companies charges almost a thousand euros for this, per device. You only pay if it works.

For the family that is a large expense, at a time when a lot already needs paying. Think of the funeral and outstanding bills. Many people pay it anyway, because the photos cannot be replaced.

Not every phone can be unlocked. The newer the device and its software, the harder it gets. Even specialist companies say they cannot open every device. And if they cannot, hardly anyone can.

On top of that, this work is only allowed after a death, and legal conditions apply. Next of kin have to show they are entitled to it. That takes time, and all that time the phone stays locked.

If it does work, the whole phone is open. All photos, all messages, all apps. Whoever has the phone broken into sees everything. You did not get to choose who that is, or what that person does or does not get to see.

Perhaps you want your partner to reach the photos while your private messages stay private. Or you would rather have one of the children deal with the phone. You can only arrange that while you are still here.

Record the PIN of your phone and the details of your Apple or Google account in an encrypted Pass (digital vault). Add where else your photos are kept, such as in the cloud or on an external drive, and what should happen to the phone.

Then choose a trusted person yourself. They can only get in through an activation request and a time lock you set yourself. As long as you are here, you can always stop such a request. That way it costs your loved ones nothing, they know for sure they can get in, and you chose who gets access.