My aunt recently passed away and wanted her mother to receive her iPhone. The phone is protected by Face ID for many actions, including signing out of iCloud, although I do know the device passcode and can unlock the phone. I understand Apple may require documents such as a death certificate, proof of authority from the estate, or a court order, but I'm unclear about who qualifies as the legal representative or next of kin. She had no children, and her mother may be the closest relative. I'm grieving and would really appreciate a straightforward explanation of the practical steps to take.
2 Answers
For access that cannot be completed on the device, the estate’s authorized representative should contact Apple through its deceased-account or estate-support process. Gather the death certificate, proof of the representative’s authority—such as the will and probate or executor documents—and identification. Her mother may have rights as next of kin, but that depends on the estate and provincial law; a lawyer, probate office, or funeral director can explain who is authorized. Don’t try to bypass the security or erase the phone until the family has checked whether important photos or data need to be preserved.
First try using the passcode to turn off Face ID and change the relevant security settings. If Stolen Device Protection is enabled, some changes may still require Face ID and may only be allowed from a familiar location, such as her home, after a security delay. The Apple Account password alone may not bypass that protection.
The phone is still asking for Face ID when I try to disable the stolen-device protection, even though I have the passcode and Apple Account password.