If a Legacy Contact is unexpectedly removed from your account
If a Legacy Contact that you recently added is unexpectedly removed from your account, it may be because they need to update their device software before they can accept your request and save their access key on their device. If they can't update their device software, you can print a copy of their access key for them.
To add a Legacy Contact, store a Legacy Contact access key, or start a Legacy Contact access request on an Apple device, it must be updated to iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2, or macOS 12.1 or later. If your Legacy Contact doesn’t have a supported device, you can print a copy of their access key for them. Your Legacy Contact must have the access key—or a copy of it—and your death certificate to get access to your Apple account data after you pass away.
If the person you’re trying to add as a Legacy Contact has an Apple device that’s running an older software version, and you sent them their access key via Messages, they may not be able to open the message, and they may be removed as your Legacy Contact before they can save the access key.
To help ensure your Legacy Contact is set up properly:
Ask them to update their Apple device to iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2, or macOS 12.1 or later. After they update, you can add them again.
Print a copy of the access key and give it to them. Follow the steps to add them as a Legacy Contact, but instead of choosing Send a Message, tap Print a Copy.
Note: If you use Send a Message to share the access key, it's a good idea to confirm that your Legacy Contact received it. However you share the access key, you may also want to print and save a copy of their access key with your estate planning documents.
