My former partner recently passed away unexpectedly. We were part of the same Family Sharing group, which included 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 what to do.
I can still access my own Apple Account and the streaming services I use, but I do not have my former partner's Apple Account password. I'm mainly concerned about preserving my iCloud files, photos, music, purchases, and other personal data. Can I leave the Family Sharing group without losing my information? Should I download or back up anything while I still have access? Are subscriptions transferable, or will I need to set them up again under my own account?
3 Answers
The executor can contact Apple about the deceased person’s account and provide documentation such as a death certificate if access to that account or its estate information is needed. That process is separate from protecting your own Apple Account. You should not need his password to manage your account, but the executor may need to work with Apple if the family plan or billing account has to be closed.
Your iCloud data and most of your Apple Music activity are associated with your own Apple Account, not with the family organizer’s account. You should be able to leave the Family Sharing group without needing your former partner’s password, then subscribe to any services you want to keep using under your own account. The subscriptions themselves generally won’t transfer, though.
While you still have access, make an independent backup of anything important and review your Apple Account settings. Check that your trusted phone number, recovery contact, payment method, and iCloud storage plan are yours. You can also request a copy of the data associated with your own Apple Account through Apple’s privacy tools. Don’t assume that leaving the family group will preserve access to storage or subscriptions provided by the organizer, so handle those separately.
So I should separate from the family group and arrange my own subscriptions rather than try to take over his account? I was wondering whether I could become the organizer, but I mainly want to make sure my personal data stays intact.