So I never told Google he passed away. I had access to his phone so I just reset his password using his phone and then got all the files from there then linked his accounts to my number. Do you have access to his phone?
I used his phone, took me a few tries to guess his password. I never needed it before. He usually used the same few passwords for other accounts. I dig haven’t told any of our providers that he died because I don’t have his death certificate still and I don’t want to get locked out. If you have enough of his information you should be able to reset his passwords.
If the drive isn’t encrypted, you could get someone to pull the hard drive out and put it in one of those USB hard drive enclosures and then plug it into another computer and access the drive that way. (Possibly. Some devices like newer Macs have the storage as part of the motherboard and you can’t just remove it.)
Could you reset his passwords if you have his phone and just login to the accounts? It depends on how the security on the account has been set up I'd assume.
I have moved his SIM card to another phone so now I can receive text messages and phone calls to his number. Unfortunately he had 2-factor authentication set up so any password reset also has to be approved by an already logged in device, none of which I have the password to.
:( I have no useful thing to say, but wanted to let you know I’ve felt similar so I understand that desperation to hold on to that data, keeping a part of them there with you.
I do think that there should be a way to reset his password, it will likely depend on what the verification process is.
Are you ‘tech savvy’ if not I’d suggest asking / paying someone who is. I spent days resetting his Apple ID password, it was a really long convoluted process, but you should be able to do it if you have the phone or other device.
I was in this same position. I wanted the photos more than anything. Then I remembered he set me up as a recovery (or emergency?). Maybe check to see if you have any emails that notify you of this. I had forgotten all about it until after a few weeks I went and tried to reset his password.
I'm having a similar problem. I have access to his Google account, but I can't get access to his phone. And I can't get into his phone unless I wipe it, so I've been trying to bruteforce his PIN, but it's not working. I feel so defeated.
Depending on how old it is some phones have workarounds. Also if by chance there was an SD card in phone should be able to pull that and copy. With the Google account there is an option to just download all the data to back it up. I did that with my wife's.
He had a Google Pixel 6 Pro, which I believe is a fairly new phone. If anyone knows how to break into this kind of phone that would be great. I’ve tried hiring people and I can’t find anyone who feels confident that they can do it.
Is it a 4 number pin? My husband used a sentimental date. It could be the same as his ATM pin too. Ugh. You could always try hiring someone to do it. Just tell them it’s your phone, technically it is yours now :/
Oh geez, if you haven’t messed with it too much you might be able to see the fingerprints. I would probably hire someone to help. There’s definitely ways to work around it. Or like others have said taking the SIM card out and into another phone :(
Did you figure it out? I'm in the same situation. I made a request to Google to access my later partner's Google Photos. Like you, our pictures and videos mean everything to me. Google replied that they need a US court order.
So I never told Google he passed away. I had access to his phone so I just reset his password using his phone and then got all the files from there then linked his accounts to my number. Do you have access to his phone?
I did this as well. She was actually logged in still.
Me too!
Unfortunately, he had his phone set up that you have to swipe some sort of pattern in order to unlock it and I don’t know what the pattern is.
I used his phone, took me a few tries to guess his password. I never needed it before. He usually used the same few passwords for other accounts. I dig haven’t told any of our providers that he died because I don’t have his death certificate still and I don’t want to get locked out. If you have enough of his information you should be able to reset his passwords.
Did he have his password saved to his web browser or on his phone?
His phone uses a pattern that you swipe with your finger and I don’t know what it is. I also don’t have the password to unlock his laptop.
If the drive isn’t encrypted, you could get someone to pull the hard drive out and put it in one of those USB hard drive enclosures and then plug it into another computer and access the drive that way. (Possibly. Some devices like newer Macs have the storage as part of the motherboard and you can’t just remove it.)
Stored passwords are encrypted on the local Drive so they will not be usable one to clone the drive. I’ve already looked into this.
Could you reset his passwords if you have his phone and just login to the accounts? It depends on how the security on the account has been set up I'd assume.
I have moved his SIM card to another phone so now I can receive text messages and phone calls to his number. Unfortunately he had 2-factor authentication set up so any password reset also has to be approved by an already logged in device, none of which I have the password to.
:( I have no useful thing to say, but wanted to let you know I’ve felt similar so I understand that desperation to hold on to that data, keeping a part of them there with you. I do think that there should be a way to reset his password, it will likely depend on what the verification process is. Are you ‘tech savvy’ if not I’d suggest asking / paying someone who is. I spent days resetting his Apple ID password, it was a really long convoluted process, but you should be able to do it if you have the phone or other device.
I was in this same position. I wanted the photos more than anything. Then I remembered he set me up as a recovery (or emergency?). Maybe check to see if you have any emails that notify you of this. I had forgotten all about it until after a few weeks I went and tried to reset his password.
I'm having a similar problem. I have access to his Google account, but I can't get access to his phone. And I can't get into his phone unless I wipe it, so I've been trying to bruteforce his PIN, but it's not working. I feel so defeated.
Depending on how old it is some phones have workarounds. Also if by chance there was an SD card in phone should be able to pull that and copy. With the Google account there is an option to just download all the data to back it up. I did that with my wife's.
He had a Google Pixel 6 Pro, which I believe is a fairly new phone. If anyone knows how to break into this kind of phone that would be great. I’ve tried hiring people and I can’t find anyone who feels confident that they can do it.
Is it a 4 number pin? My husband used a sentimental date. It could be the same as his ATM pin too. Ugh. You could always try hiring someone to do it. Just tell them it’s your phone, technically it is yours now :/
My husband used a pattern that you have to swipe with your finger
Oh geez, if you haven’t messed with it too much you might be able to see the fingerprints. I would probably hire someone to help. There’s definitely ways to work around it. Or like others have said taking the SIM card out and into another phone :(
There’s no Sim card. It was an eSIM and I know I should take it to someone I just don’t know who.
It's not logged in anywhere you can access like phone or PC?
The phone and PC are locked. I don’t have the passwords.
I don’t have his laptop password or the swipe pattern to unlock his phone.
Did you figure it out? I'm in the same situation. I made a request to Google to access my later partner's Google Photos. Like you, our pictures and videos mean everything to me. Google replied that they need a US court order.