List of digital assets and devices – Protecting your online life and digital legacy
So much of life is now online – photos, emails, messages, banking, subscriptions, cloud storage, and even digital currencies. If something happened to you, would anyone know where to find everything, or how to access it?
A list of digital assets and devices helps your executors and loved ones manage your online world smoothly if you become mentally incapable or after you pass away.
Start with DYOdocs
Not sure what legal documents you actually need?
Use DYOdocs to create a free report on the legal documents you should have as part of:
your trust-based estate and asset protection plan,
and why it’s essential to have legal expertise you can trust.
Ready to create your List of Digital Assets and Devices?
You can complete your list of digital assets and devices online using DYOdocs, then choose whether you’d like Ross Holmes Virtual Lawyers Limited to review or provide advice.
Step 1: Understand your digital assets
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A digital asset is anything important you own or use in digital form. For example:
Email accounts
Social media and messaging accounts
Online banking and investment platforms
Digital currencies and wallets
Cloud storage (e.g. photos, videos, documents)
Subscriptions (streaming services, software, apps)
Online businesses, websites, or domain names
Loyalty programmes or reward points
Digital files stored on your devices (laptop, tablet, phone).
A digital device is the hardware where these things may live:
Mobile phones and tablets
Laptops and desktop computers
External hard drives and USB sticks
E-readers, cameras, and other connected devices.
A list of digital assets and devices is simply a record of what you have and where it is.
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Without a clear list:
Your loved ones may not know what digital assets you have
Important information (including financial details) can be lost
Online accounts may remain open and unmonitored
Your online identity can be more vulnerable to fraud or misuse.
With a good list in place:
Your executor or a trusted person can find and manage your digital assets
Your wishes about your online presence can be followed
Your “digital life” can be wound up or preserved in a way that reflects your values.
Step 2: See the Risks of Not Having a List
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If no one knows what you have or where to find it:
Photos, videos, and personal documents may be lost
Online financial information may never be recovered
Important records such as tax returns, insurance policies, and legal documents stored online may be missed.
A list of digital assets and devices helps make sure everything is accounted for and can be accessed when needed.
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After mental incapacity or death, managing online accounts can be very time-consuming if there is no roadmap.
Without a list, your executor or loved ones may:
Struggle to find all your accounts and subscriptions
Miss key services that need to be cancelled or transferred
Face delays in closing or securing accounts.
A clear list:
Makes it easier to manage your online life efficiently
Helps your executor carry out your wishes without unnecessary delay or confusion.
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If your digital assets are left unmanaged:
Accounts can remain active but unattended
Suspicious activity or unauthorised access can go unnoticed
The risk of online fraud or identity theft increases.
A list of digital assets and devices helps your executor or trusted person:
Monitor your accounts
Close, transfer, or secure them
Reduce the risk of misuse or fraudulent activity.
Step 3: Create your list with DYOdocs
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You can create your list of digital assets and devices in the comfort of your own home using DYOdocs.
DYOdocs guides you through:
Listing your digital assets and accounts
Listing your devices (phones, computers, drives, etc.)
Noting where important documents or files are stored online (for example, tax returns, insurance policies, legal documents, and key personal records).
You don’t need to put your actual passwords into the list. Instead, you can:
Record where your passwords are stored (for example, in a password manager or sealed document)
Let your executor or trusted person know how that password information can be accessed when the time comes.
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Using DYOdocs, you can:
Group your digital assets and devices by category (banking, social media, subscriptions, business, storage, etc.)
Indicate who should be responsible for managing them if you are mentally incapacitated or after you die
Record your wishes about what should happen – for example:
Close this account
Preserve these photos and share with family
Transfer this domain name or online store
Cancel these subscriptions.
This helps your executor and loved ones know what to do, rather than having to guess.
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Your digital life changes all the time – new accounts, new devices, new subscriptions.
It’s important to:
Review your list regularly
Update it when you add or close accounts, change providers, or replace devices
Make sure your chosen executor or trusted person knows your list exists and where it is stored.
With DYOdocs, you can easily return to your list and update it, so your digital legacy is always:
Current
Organised
Managed according to your wishes.
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A list of digital assets and devices works best when it sits alongside:
Your will
Your enduring powers of attorney
Any trust or asset planning.
Together, these documents help make sure:
Your physical assets and your digital assets are both properly managed
Your executors, attorneys, and trustees have practical information as well as legal authority
Your legacy – both offline and online – reflects your wishes.
If you wish, Ross Holmes Virtual Lawyers Limited can:
Review your DYOdocs digital asset list
Help you align it with your will and other planning documents
Advise on practical steps to protect your digital legacy.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information only and is not legal advice.
You should always seek professional legal advice about your own situation before making any decisions about your list of digital assets, or your wider estate plan.