Start with what only you can leave
Most guides to digital legacy start with accounts and logins. Those things have their own tools, and they change constantly. A legacy vault is for something different: the things that only you can leave, and that should reach specific people.
This guide walks through what to keep in a legacy vault, starting with what matters most to families.
1. Letters
A letter in your own words is often the thing people treasure most. Ideas:
- A letter to each child or grandchild
- A few words for your partner
- A thank-you to a friend or mentor
- A letter of values (sometimes called an ethical will), which isn't a legal document
In MemoryShield, a letter is a native item: plain text plus an optional file, such as a scan of a handwritten page.
2. Videos
Video holds your face, your voice and your way of telling a story. You can record a video in your browser or upload one from your phone. Trustees can download released videos.
Short and natural beats long and polished. Several two-minute clips are a gift.
3. Photos, with the stories behind them
Your photo library may already be backed up somewhere. What's often missing is context: who is in the picture, where it was, why it mattered. A handful of captioned photos can mean more than thousands of unlabeled ones.
4. Documents and keepsakes
- Scans of family documents, recipes, children's drawings
- Pointers to originals: where the will is kept, who your lawyer is, the box in the closet
- A short note on your wishes for social media profiles and important accounts, by name
What to leave out
- Live passwords and recovery codes. They change often, and copies go stale. Keep them in the tool you already use for logins. A legacy vault isn't a password manager.
- Legal instructions that belong in a will. A vault doesn't replace a will. See A will does not release your digital vault.
A simple sorting rule
| Item | Where it belongs |
|---|---|
| A letter or video for someone you love | Legacy vault, with a named trustee |
| Captioned family photos | Legacy vault |
| Your wishes for accounts and profiles | Legacy vault, as a short note |
| Day-to-day logins | Your login tool, not the vault |
| Who inherits property | Your will, with a lawyer |
Who receives each item
You choose a named trustee for each item. One person might receive the letters to your children; another the family photos. Trustees have no access while you keep answering your email life-check.
Here is what happens if you stop answering your email check-ins. Nothing is released because of one missed email. First there's extended monitoring: more check-ins, more time. Then your backup contact is notified; they can't see your vault. Then there's a waiting period. Only after all of that do your verified trustees receive the items you designated for them. MemoryShield doesn't certify death and has no death-certificate, legal or medical review step. Full walkthrough: How an email life-check and verification work before vault release.
A quiet note on security: your vault is encrypted at rest (AES-256), with escrowed keys so release can work after verification; not zero-knowledge. Item-level encryption is opt-in: you can turn it on for an item, and it's off unless you do. MemoryShield isn't a password manager or a will, and it can't open anyone's other accounts. How security works.
How much fits
The Free plan holds 5 items and 1 trustee, which is enough for a first letter, a video and a few key documents. Premium holds up to 200 items and 5 trustees. Plans are limited by item count.
On putting it together: Letters, videos and instructions: building what your trustees receive. Education only, not legal advice.
Start on the Free plan ($0)
Pick one item only you can leave: a letter, a video or a captioned photo. Put it in your vault and choose who receives it.
Start on the Free plan ($0). No card required. The Free plan holds up to 5 items and 1 trustee. If you later want more room, Premium is $9.99/mo or $99/yr (up to 200 items and 5 trustees); paid plans have a 30-day trial and need a card or PayPal at checkout.
Security: https://memoryshield.life/security · Plans: https://memoryshield.life/public-pricing · Support: support@memoryshield.life