Beyond documents and passwords—how to use Lastkey to share your stories, values, and memories with the people you love.
Your life is more than account numbers and insurance policies. It's the stories you tell, the lessons you've learned, and the connections you've built. While Lastkey keeps your practical information secure, it's also the perfect place to preserve the personal legacy you want to leave behind.
You're the only person who holds all of this information. If you don't share it, who will?
This guide will help you think through the meaningful, personal content you can add to your Lastkey vault—the kind of things your loved ones will treasure forever.
Every Lastkey vault includes a pinned "Read This First" note, and this is where your legacy begins. Think of it as your opening letter to the people you trust most.
This doesn't need to be long or formal. Just a few paragraphs that:
This message transforms your vault from a collection of information into something deeply personal—a final act of care and thoughtfulness.
Lastkey tip: Start writing this note even if you're not ready to finish it. You can always come back and refine it. Just getting your initial thoughts down makes the rest easier.
Use Lastkey's Wishes & Messages category to capture thoughts you want to preserve. This is your chance to share who you are beyond what others might already know.
Life lessons that shaped you - What experiences taught you the most? What wisdom would you want to pass down? These don't have to be profound—sometimes the simplest lessons are the most meaningful.
Personal values - What principles guided your decisions? What mattered most to you? Understanding your values helps your loved ones understand your choices.
Favorite memories - Stories about moments that defined your life—the funny ones, the touching ones, the ones that still make you smile.
Unshared experiences - Things you never got around to telling people, or things you were waiting for the right moment to share.
Gratitude - People who made a difference in your life. Kindnesses you never forgot. Moments you treasure.
Lastkey tip: Use the "Personal message" template to create these reflections. Encrypt them as secure notes so they remain private until release.
The most treasured items in any Lastkey vault are often personal letters—messages written directly to the people you love.
Express your feelings - Don't hold back. Tell them what they mean to you. This might be your last chance to say it clearly.
Share memories - Remind them of moments you shared. Inside jokes. Quiet conversations. Adventures together.
Offer encouragement - What do you hope for their future? What do you see in them that they might not see in themselves?
Acknowledge challenges - If there were difficult times, you can address them with honesty and love.
Say what needs to be said - Apologies, forgiveness, gratitude, or just "I love you." Whatever you've been meaning to say.
Lastkey tip: These letters don't have to be perfect. Authentic and heartfelt matters more than polished prose. Write like you're talking to them.
Your family's history lives in your memory. Preserve it in your Lastkey vault so future generations can know where they came from.
Your parents and grandparents - Their lives, struggles, achievements, and personalities. What made them who they were?
Extended family members - Aunts, uncles, cousins who played important roles. Keep their memory alive.
Family traditions - Why do you celebrate the way you do? Where did certain traditions come from?
Immigration or family origins - How did your family end up where they are? What journeys did previous generations make?
Historical context - What was happening in the world during key moments in your family's story?
For each person you write about, consider including:
Lastkey tip: Create a secure note titled "Family History" and add to it over time. You don't have to write everything at once—capture stories as you remember them.
Family photos are meaningful, but photos with context become treasures. Use Lastkey to preserve not just images, but the stories behind them.
Lastkey tip: Upload photos as encrypted files, then create a secure note titled "Photo Stories" that provides context for each one. Include details that only you know—these details will be lost forever if you don't record them.
You likely own items with stories behind them—things that wouldn't mean much to an outsider but carry deep significance for your family.
For each meaningful possession, record:
Lastkey tip: This isn't about making legal declarations (that's what a will is for). This is about sharing the stories so recipients understand what they're receiving and why it mattered to you.
Some of the most cherished legacies are the simple, everyday things—recipes that define family gatherings, traditions that create connection.
Family recipes - Not just ingredients and steps, but the memories attached. Who taught you this recipe? When did you make it? What makes it special?
Holiday traditions - How your family celebrates. The specific rituals that make your celebrations unique.
Everyday traditions - Sunday dinners, annual trips, small rituals that created family bonds.
Cultural practices - Traditions tied to your heritage or culture that might be forgotten if not documented.
Lastkey tip: Use the template system to add recipes and traditions. Include photos if you have them—a picture of grandma's handwriting on a recipe card is priceless.
How do you want to be remembered? What matters to you about your funeral, memorial, or celebration of life?
Tone and style - Serious or celebratory? Quiet or a big party?
Music - Songs that mean something to you or capture your spirit
Readings or quotes - Words that resonate with your values
Who should speak - People whose words would honor your memory
Location preferences - Where you'd want people to gather
Charitable giving - Causes you care about where donations could be directed
Social media - What you'd want shared (or not shared) online
Lastkey tip: Add these wishes to your Wishes & Messages category. Be specific where it matters, but also give your loved ones permission to do what feels right to them.
Sharing your core beliefs helps your loved ones understand who you were and what guided you.
What you believed about life - Your philosophy, your faith, your worldview
What you stood for - Causes, principles, or values you championed
What you learned the hard way - Mistakes and the wisdom they brought
What you hope for the world - Your dreams for the future, even if you won't see them
What you'd want future generations to know - Messages for grandchildren or great-grandchildren you may never meet
Lastkey tip: These reflections don't have to be heavy or preachy. Share your authentic perspective in your own voice.
If certain causes mattered to you, document them in your vault so your values can continue making an impact.
For each charity or cause:
Lastkey tip: Include this information in your Wishes & Messages category. This helps family direct memorial donations meaningfully and might inspire continued support.
Consider creating one message intended for wider sharing—something your family could post publicly or share with your broader community.
This isn't an obituary (though it could inform one). It's your chance to share something with the world in your own words.
Stay focused - What's the one thing you want people to remember or understand?
Be yourself - Write in your natural voice, not some formal version of yourself
Consider your audience - This will be read by people who knew you and people who didn't
Think about legacy - How do you want to be remembered by your community?
Stay positive - This isn't the place for grievances or negativity—that burden would fall on your family
Lastkey tip: You can create this message and mark it clearly as "shareable publicly" in your instructions. Give your family permission to use it how they see fit.
Your digital life is part of your story. What do you want to happen to your online presence?
Social media accounts - Keep, memorialize, or delete?
Photos and videos - Where are they stored? Which ones matter most?
Digital content you created - Blogs, websites, creative work
Online communities - Groups where you were active and valued
Email - Messages or correspondence worth preserving
Lastkey tip: Add these preferences to your Devices & Accounts category alongside your practical account information.
Creating a meaningful personal legacy in your Lastkey vault doesn't happen in one sitting. It's something you build gradually:
Week 1: Write your "Read This First" message and one personal letter
Week 2: Document three important family stories
Week 3: Add context to five meaningful photos
Week 4: Share your wishes and values
Keep coming back to add more as memories surface or as life brings new insights worth recording.
Remember: perfect doesn't matter. Honest and heartfelt does.
Your loved ones won't judge the quality of your writing. They'll treasure your words because they're yours. They'll value your thoughts because they came from someone they love.
Don't overthink it. Just start writing. Share what's in your heart. Tell your stories. Express your love.
That's what legacy really means—ensuring that the best parts of you continue touching the people you care about, even after you're gone.
As life changes, come back to your Lastkey vault and add new thoughts, stories, or messages. Legacy isn't something you write once—it's something you build over time.
And don't forget to check in regularly (we recommend every 30 days) to ensure your vault remains secure and ready to release only when it should.
Documents and accounts are important—they make practical matters easier for your loved ones. But personal messages, stories, and reflections? Those are irreplaceable.
They're what transform grief into connection. They're what keep your voice alive in the hearts of the people you love. They're what ensure your impact continues long after you're gone.
Take the time to preserve not just your information, but your legacy. Your family will thank you forever.
Ready to add personal meaning to your vault? Log in to Lastkey and explore the Wishes & Messages category. Start with just one letter or story—you can always add more.