Digital assets in your will: what UK law says - My Local Will Writer

Most people spend years building an online life: email accounts, social media profiles, cloud storage, streaming subscriptions, PayPal balances and, in some cases, cryptocurrency wallets. When you die, what happens to all of it?

The answer, for most people, is: nothing good. Without clear instructions about digital assets in your will and a plan for how they can be accessed, they can be locked away, deleted or lost entirely.

What counts as a digital asset?

A digital asset is anything of value that exists in digital form. That covers more than most people realise:

• Financial accounts held online: PayPal, Wise, Monzo and Revolut balances.
• Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin, Ethereum and any other digital currencies held in wallets.
• Social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and TikTok.
• Email accounts: Gmail, Outlook and iCloud Mail.
• Cloud storage: Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox and OneDrive.
• Digital purchases: music, ebooks, films and games bought through services like iTunes, Kindle or Steam. Most of these are licences, not assets you own outright.
• Subscription accounts: Netflix, Spotify and Adobe Creative Cloud.
• Domain names and websites.
• NFTs.
• Online business accounts: Etsy, eBay and Amazon seller accounts.

Some of these may be worth money. Others may hold family photos, personal messages or documents that matter to the people you leave behind.

Can you include digital assets in your will?

Around 39% of UK adults say they intend to include digital assets in their will. Most have not yet done so.

Yes, though it depends on the type of asset.

Assets with genuine financial value, such as cryptocurrency, PayPal balances, domain names and online business accounts, can and should be included in your will like any other asset. Your executor can take legal ownership and deal with them according to your wishes.

Things you do not actually own, such as iTunes purchases, Kindle books or most streaming subscriptions, cannot be passed on. These are licences granted to you personally and they expire when you die.

Social media accounts are different again. You cannot leave them to someone else to own, but you can leave clear instructions for what you want done with them: whether that is memorialisation, deletion or archiving.

How to include online accounts in your will

Your will can include a clause giving your executor authority to deal with digital assets in your will. This is useful for online financial accounts, websites, domain names and cryptocurrency. Your will should not, however, contain passwords, private keys or seed phrases. Once probate is granted, your will can become a public document, and anything written directly into it could become visible to anyone.

The right approach is to record your wishes in the will and keep the sensitive detail elsewhere. That means:

• Including a digital assets clause in your will.
• Creating a separate digital asset inventory listing what you own and where it is held.
• Storing access details securely, away from the will itself.
• Telling your executor where the inventory is and how to access it when needed.
• Leaving a letter of wishes explaining what you want done with each account.

What happens to social media accounts after you die?

Each platform handles this differently and most require a formal request from a family member or nominated contact:

• Facebook and Instagram (Meta): you can appoint a legacy contact who can manage your memorialised profile, or request that your account is deleted after death.
• X (Twitter): accounts can be deactivated by an authorised person, such as a family member, with proof of death.
• LinkedIn: accounts can be removed by a family member or close colleague.
• TikTok: accounts can be reported and removed by family.

None of these platforms give a third party full access to your account in the way an executor might access a bank account. The most practical approach is to leave a letter of wishes alongside your will, setting out what you want done with each account and providing enough detail for your executor or family to act.

How to handle cryptocurrency in your will

Cryptocurrency needs special attention. Unlike a bank account, there is no institution to contact if access is lost. Crypto is secured by private keys and seed phrases. Without them, the funds are gone.

Do not put your seed phrase or private key in your will. Wills become public documents once probate is granted. Store your seed phrase securely instead: a hardware wallet, a fireproof safe or a specialist digital vault are all options. Leave instructions in a separate letter of wishes explaining how to access it, and make sure your executor knows that letter exists and where to find it.

If you hold crypto on an exchange such as Coinbase or Kraken, your executor may be able to access it with proof of death and appropriate ID, though the process varies by platform. If your holdings are significant, it is worth speaking to a specialist adviser. A standard will clause may not be enough on its own.

Read more about how to leave cryptocurrency in your will.

What is a digital executor?

A digital executor is someone you nominate to deal with your digital assets and online accounts after you die. This can be the same person as your main executor, or a different person, particularly if your main executor is not confident with technology.

It is not a separate formal legal role, but you can name someone in your will or a letter of wishes and explain what you would like them to do. That might include:

• Helping your executor locate and access digital assets.
• Closing or memorialising social media accounts.
• Downloading family photos from cloud storage.
• Cancelling subscriptions.
• Managing websites or domain names.

Choose someone you trust who understands the systems involved.

Creating a digital asset inventory

A digital asset inventory is a secure list of your online accounts, what they contain and what you want done with them after your death. It sits alongside your will rather than inside it, and it is where the practical detail lives: account names, where things are held and how your executor can get access when the time comes.

Your inventory might include:

• Email accounts.
• Social media profiles.
• Cloud storage accounts and digital photo libraries.
• Online bank or payment accounts.
• Cryptocurrency wallets or exchanges.
• Subscription services.
• Websites and domain names.
• Online business accounts.

You do not need to list every password directly. In many cases it is better to use a secure password manager and leave instructions explaining how your executor can access it. Store the inventory somewhere safe and keep it up t

Does UK law cover digital assets in wills?

The law in this area is still developing. The Law Commission has been examining how existing property law applies to digital assets in the UK, including cryptocurrency, and its recommendations are expected to clarify the legal status of certain digital holdings. For now, the general principle is that if a digital asset has genuine financial value and you own it rather than licence it, it can be included in a will like any other property.

In practice, the biggest barrier is not the law. It is access. Your executor can only deal with what they can get into. That is why digital legacy planning matters: without a clear record of your online accounts after death, assets can be missed, funds lost and family left chasing platforms with no idea what exists.

What should you do now?

If you have online accounts, digital savings, cryptocurrency, cloud storage or social media profiles, it is worth making a plan. Start with three simple steps:

1. Make a list of your main digital accounts and assets.
2. Decide what you want to happen to each one.
3. Make or update your will so your wishes are properly recorded.

Your digital life may include money, memories and personal information that matters to the people you leave behind. A clear plan makes things easier for them.

Read more about what should be included in a will: /articles/what-to-include-in-a-will

Ready to get started? Get a quote from My Local Will Writer >

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Frequently asked questions

Can I leave my digital assets in my will?

Yes, if the asset has genuine financial value and you own it outright. Cryptocurrency, PayPal balances, domain names and online business accounts can all be included in a will. Digital purchases such as iTunes libraries or Kindle books are licences rather than assets you own, so they cannot be passed on.

What happens to my social media accounts when I die?

It depends on the platform. Facebook and Instagram allow you to appoint a legacy contact or request deletion. X (Twitter), LinkedIn and TikTok can be deactivated or removed by a family member with proof of death. No platform gives a third party full account access in the way a bank would. Leaving a letter of wishes alongside your will is the most effective way to make your intentions clear.

Can I leave cryptocurrency in my will?

Yes, but it requires careful planning. Crypto is secured by private keys and seed phrases. Without these, the funds cannot be accessed. Do not include seed phrases in your will, as wills become public documents after probate. Instead, store them securely and leave a separate letter of wishes telling your executor where to find them.

What is a digital executor?

A digital executor is someone you nominate to manage your online accounts and digital assets after you die. It can be the same person as your main executor or someone else who is more comfortable with technology. You can name them in your will or a letter of wishes.

Should I put my passwords in my will?

No. Wills become public documents once probate is granted, which means passwords written into them could be exposed. Store sensitive access information securely and leave separate instructions telling your executor where to find it.

What happens to my iTunes or Kindle library when I die?

iTunes purchases, Kindle books and most streaming libraries are licences granted to you personally. They cannot be inherited or transferred. When you die, access to these services will end.