What happens to the things only you know? The password to the family photo archive. The seed phrase to your crypto wallet. The words you always meant to say but never did. If something happens to you tomorrow, who gets that information - and how?
A dead man's switch solves this problem. It's an automated system that delivers your messages, files, and sensitive data to designated people - but only after you've stopped responding to periodic check-in emails for a defined period. As long as you're okay and responding, nothing happens. Only after the full check-in interval passes without a response, and after a multi-attempt grace period, does the system deliver your capsule.
The people who use this aren't morbid. They're the ones who understand that love doesn't expire - and that some things matter too much to leave to chance. A recording of your voice. A letter written at 2 a.m. when you finally found the words. A goodbye with a photo that says I was thinking of you right until the end.
In this guide, we'll explain how dead man's switches work, what you can use them for, and how to set one up today - without technical knowledge, without subscriptions, and with military-grade encryption.
The term "dead man's switch" originally comes from industrial machinery - a safety mechanism that activates when the operator lets go of a control. In the digital world, it works the same way: a system monitors your activity (typically through periodic check-in emails), and if you fail to respond within a set period, it triggers a predefined action - like delivering a message.
With digital time capsule services like SealedFor, the dead man's switch delivers an encrypted capsule containing whatever you choose: messages, documents, photos, videos, or audio recordings.
Most people don't plan for the unexpected. But consider what you carry that no one else has access to:
Banking logins, email accounts, social media, cloud storage - if you're the only one who knows the credentials, your family may lose access to critical accounts. A dead man's switch can securely deliver a list of passwords and access instructions.
Unlike bank accounts, crypto wallets have no "forgot password" option. If you hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any cryptocurrency, your seed phrase is the only way to access those funds. Billions of dollars in crypto are already permanently lost because holders died without sharing their keys. A dead man's switch is the safest way to pass on this information - it stays encrypted until it's needed.
We all carry things we wish we'd said. Not just "I love you" - but the specific, real, unrepeatable things: the exact way you feel about someone, the memory you've never told them about, the apology you never found the courage to give. A dead man's switch lets you write that letter - or record it, in your own voice - and know it will be delivered only if you can't deliver it yourself.
This isn't about leaving instructions. It's about leaving yourself. A voice recording your children can play when they miss you. A photo with a handwritten caption explaining why you took it. A message to someone you drifted from, finally saying what you meant. These are the things that can't be replaced, and that a laptop or Google Drive will never deliver automatically - they'll just sit there, unseen, until an account closes.
Life insurance policies, property deeds, the location of physical documents, instructions for the family business, powers of attorney - all of these can be securely stored and automatically delivered when needed.
It's not only about death. A dead man's switch also works if you go missing, become incapacitated, or are otherwise unable to respond. Whether it's a hiking accident, a medical emergency, or an extended absence - if you stop checking in, your critical information gets delivered.
The process is straightforward with SealedFor:
That's it. No ongoing fees (one-time payment starting at $23.99 (incl. tax) for Dead Man's Switch delivery), no accounts to maintain, no complex setup.
Here's what people commonly secure with a dead man's switch:
A dead man's switch doesn't replace a legal will - it complements it. Here's how they differ:
| Feature | Traditional Will | Dead Man's Switch |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery timing | After probate (weeks to months) | Automatic (after full check-in interval + grace period pass without response) |
| Content types | Legal instructions, asset distribution | Any digital content - video, audio, files, text |
| Privacy | May become public record | Encrypted, only recipient can access |
| Updates | Requires lawyer/notary | Update anytime with your edit token |
| Cost | $200-$1,000+ | One-time from $23.99 (incl. tax) |
| Scope | Legal assets | Personal messages, digital assets, credentials |
| Emotional value | Formal, impersonal | Personal - your words, your voice, your face |
The ideal approach is to have both: a legal will for asset distribution and a dead man's switch for everything personal and digital that a will can't effectively cover.
When you're storing passwords, crypto keys, and deeply personal messages, security isn't optional - it's everything. Here's how SealedFor protects your data:
For a deeper understanding of how encryption and digital legacy planning work together, see our comprehensive guide.
Sarah holds $50,000 in various cryptocurrencies. She creates a SealedFor capsule containing her wallet seed phrases, exchange logins, and step-by-step instructions for her husband on how to access and transfer the funds. She sets the dead man's switch to check in every 3 months. If she doesn't respond, her husband receives everything he needs.
Mark hasn't spoken to his daughter in years. He writes a long, honest letter explaining his side of the story, apologizing, and telling her how proud he is. He doesn't want to send it now - the timing isn't right. But if something happens to him, he wants her to know. He seals it with a dead man's switch.
Lena is about to spend 3 months trekking in remote areas. She creates a capsule with her financial information, insurance details, and a personal message for her family - set to deliver if she doesn't check in for 30 days. When she returns safely, she simply responds to the check-in and the capsule stays sealed.
David runs a small business and is the only person who knows the admin passwords, supplier contacts, and operational procedures. He creates a capsule with a complete handover document for his business partner. If anything happens to David, the business doesn't die with him.
