My former partner recently passed away unexpectedly, and we previously used Family Sharing for Apple TV+, iCloud storage, Apple Music, and several other streaming subscriptions. A family member who is handling the estate has agreed not to cancel anything immediately while I work out my options. I can access my own Apple ID and the related services, but I never had access to my former partner's Apple ID password. I'm mainly worried about preserving my iCloud files, photos, music library, and other personal data. Can I leave the Family Sharing group and move to my own subscriptions without losing anything? Should I download or back up my information now, and is there anything the executor needs to do?
3 Answers
The executor can contact Apple about the deceased person’s account using the required documentation, such as a death certificate and proof of authority. That process is mainly for handling his account and estate; it shouldn’t be necessary for you to access or preserve data that belongs to your own Apple ID.
Your personal iCloud data, Apple Music library, and other information connected to your Apple ID should remain tied to your account rather than to the Family Sharing organizer. You can generally leave the family group without knowing the organizer’s password, then subscribe to your own iCloud storage and services. Check your storage first so you don’t fall below the amount your data currently uses, and make an independent backup of important files and photos while you still have access.
You should be able to download or export much of your data now through Apple’s data and privacy tools, and you can also make local backups of important iCloud files, photos, contacts, and other content. Purchases or subscriptions belonging to the deceased person usually can’t simply be transferred to you, so plan to start your own subscriptions after separating from the family group.
So the safest approach is to back up my information, leave the family group, and set up my own subscriptions rather than trying to take over his account?