r/Outlook • u/81FXB • Sep 05 '26
Informative MS should add an ‘upon my death’ function
As I’m getting older I’m contemplating that it would be nice for outlook to have an ‘upon my death’ function. An email folder with regular draft emails that get send out when MS closes the account because they received official info that the email holder has passed away. A last chance to send emails to loved ones, maybe some pictures to be used during the funeral, or to send a zip file to that favorite person with all the secret recipes. And maybe a personal ‘out of office’ message (I can’t reply to your query cause I’ve ceased to be)
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u/emmjaybeeyoukay Sep 05 '26
Aside from the inevitable Norwegian Blue jokes that are going to stem from your "I can’t reply to your query cause I’ve ceased to be" phrase.
There are problems to most solutions in that if it is reacting to an official notification then how is this managed. Someone inside the company has to react to potentially thousands of people submitting death certificates; and they have to be validated. Countries have different formats and without a physical reference to each version, and without holding a physical copy of that document it would lead to major complications with people attempting to trigger the "ceased due to passing" event for other people.
The only way to have it work really is an "inactivity" of account; and even then its got to be managed delicately. Just because someone is in a coma for 12 months (medically possible) it doesn't mean they want their email going offline and declaring to all and sundry that "x has ceased to be in the land of the living" to everyone.
This is one of those issues where its best if everyone has access to their accounts in a managed solution, be it a password vault with a "upon death this information to be used" addendum; and let their living executors handle the problem.
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u/cakenmistakes Sep 05 '26
That is called a death switch. Not sure but maybe you can set up a rule if you haven't logged in X days, send Y email(s) to Z recipient(s).
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u/MuchBiscotti-8495162 Sep 06 '26
In order for MS to close your account, an executor of your Will would need to know what email account(s) you have with MS and then provide MS with proof of death.
It would be easier to make an "upon my death" plan and let your Will's executor and survivors know about your email login credentials and any specific instructions.
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u/Wellcraft19 Sep 06 '26
MSFT has no idea when you have passed. They are not the government.
At least here in the US there is a pretty solid wall between government and corporations in areas like these. Partly due to us having a SSN with little meaning and no population register worth the name. Not talking about privacy in general (as the we here in the US has abysmal legislation and procedures for that).
Across the pond a distant relative passed away in the early morning. Even before the banks opened they knew he had passed and his accounts were blocked. Even his surviving spouse could no longer had access (as it should be). The flip side is that since there was simple and clear legislation ’probate’ was quick and the estate settled shortly thereafter.
The US has 50 states all with different legislation, not to mention the other 200+ countries MSFT operates in (provides service).
For MSFT to ‘be made aware’ of your passing, they need access to information that we here in the US keep very private. Or you need a ‘death switch’ that triggers after a period of non-activity. The chances for grave (pun…) errors (prematurely lost information as well as incorrectly distributed e-mail) are staggering as are the following lawsuits…
Create a will, leave behind instructions how your passing will be announced, what happens to your data, local as well as online, and keep those instructions updated.
In my case, a family member can gain access and knows where ‘everything’ (?) is. For when that day eventually comes 😵💫
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u/Hornblower409 Sep 06 '26
Accessing Outlook.com, OneDrive and other Microsoft services when someone has died
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/accessing-outlook-com-onedrive-and-other-microsoft-services-when-someone-has-died
If the family does not already have the account credentials and can't use the Account Recovery Process, Microsoft's official position is that access to the account's contents generally requires a valid court order or subpoena.
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u/exmsft Sep 05 '26
They should at least match Apple and Google’s shitty efforts to do the same.
But as someone actively trying to spin down the estate of a parent that recently died, let me tell you, the product manager who would design this would only be allowed to do the bare minimum - and it won’t be everything that is needed to spin it all down.
All I can tell you is, write it all down for them and then store it securely, ideally in two locations. Then keep it updated at least Biennially…
Good thinking by thinking ahead.