Sealby
A sealed digital copy with its own recovery path
Store private instructions and supporting files in an encrypted vault, then keep its recovery phrase separately.
Plan for private files and digital legacyFamily & legacy
Where should you keep your will?
A will has two jobs: say what you want, and be found when it matters. In most places, the signed paper original does the first job. A simple digital plan helps with the second.
Keeping important records recoverable
Paper original
Still essential for some legal records
A signed will or certificate may need to remain on paper and be stored where the right person can find it.
Password manager
Good for accounts and structured secrets
Useful when emergency access and inheritance settings are configured and tested.
Safe or deposit box
Strong physical protection
Access rules, location risk and whether your family knows it exists still need planning.
The signed original is usually the thing that counts
A will is not only the words on a page. In most places, it must be signed, witnessed, and kept as the original paper. That is the document an executor normally takes to probate. A phone photo or PDF is useful, but is usually not the same thing.
There are exceptions. Some places allow electronic wills, and rules for a lost original differ. So do not assume that uploading a copy replaces estate planning. Treat the paper original as important unless local advice says otherwise.
Three ordinary places for the original
A lawyer’s office. The lawyer can hold the original and may already know how to contact your executor. Ask what happens if the firm closes, the lawyer retires, or the document is needed outside office hours.
An official will registry. Some places have one. It may record the will’s location rather than hold the paper. Check what your local registry actually offers.
A fire-resistant home safe. You keep control and can update the will easily. But the executor must be able to open the safe. A safe nobody can find or open solves nothing.
Put the useful briefing in digital form
The practical information changes more often than the will. Make a scan. Keep an account list, insurance and property records, key contacts, and the location of physical items. Add access instructions and, if useful, an “if something happens to me” letter.
The letter can say where the original is, who to call, and what needs attention first. Do not turn it into a pile of passwords in an inbox. Keep it short and update it when life changes.
Why private instructions belong in encrypted storage
Email is easy to forward, search, or leave open on another device. A normal cloud drive also has sharing settings, linked devices, and account recovery to think about. These are fine for ordinary paperwork. They are not a good default for account lists or private instructions.
Encrypted storage keeps the scan and briefing readable only to someone with the right secret. Sealby can keep those files and notes together in an encrypted legacy vault. Its digital legacy planner helps you make the handoff clear. Sealby never replaces the legal original.
Keep it findable
The best location is useless if nobody knows it exists. Tell your executor, or another trusted person, where the original is. Leave a simple pointer with your estate papers. Update it when you move, change lawyers, or replace the will.
A will nobody can find fails at its one job. Once a year, check the original, scan, instructions, and the people who need to find them.
This article is general education, not legal advice. Will formalities, electronic-will rules, probate procedures, and storage options differ significantly between jurisdictions. If your estate plan depends on a particular arrangement, check the current rules where you live or consult a qualified local lawyer.
Quick answers
Can I store my will digitally?
You can store a scan and related instructions digitally. That is useful. But in many places the signed paper original governs. Some places recognise electronic wills and others do not, so check local law before relying on a digital-only will.
Is a scan of a will legally valid?
A scan shows what the will said and helps people find the original. It is usually not treated the same as the signed original. Keep it as a backup, not as a replacement for the paper.
Where do people keep the original?
Common choices are the lawyer who prepared it, an official will registry, or a fire-resistant home safe. Each has trade-offs in control, cost, access, and how easily an executor can find it.
What documents should go with a will?
Keep a note of the original’s location, key contacts, an account and asset inventory, insurance and property details, and digital-account instructions. Keep passwords and recovery phrases separately, not stapled to the will.
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