Dead man's switch, explained
What happens if I miss a check-in?
Missing one check-in does not release anything. Death-based releases only happen when you have switched the Dead Man's Switch on, and only after several separate checks.
The sequence
- 1You turn on the Dead Man's Switch and choose how often to check in.
- 2If a check-in is missed, you are sent reminders.
- 3If reminders go unanswered, your trusted contacts and executor are messaged and asked to confirm.
- 4If they do not reply, or you have not named any, failed subscription payments act as a backup: your subscription must go unpaid for 90 days alongside the missed check-ins. A payment failure on its own never triggers a release.
- 5After a final seven-day wait, and only then, are your death-based messages and money rules released.
If you are alive: how to stop it
- Answer any check-in or reminder.
- Sign in to your account — activity resets the process.
- Any trusted contact replying that you are alive blocks the release.
- Open an urgent help case for a disputed death report. This places a hold on releases until it is resolved.
A missed payment is partial evidence only
If a subscription renewal fails, your account becomes read-only until you renew. That alone never triggers a release. It counts as partial evidence only after 90 days unpaid, with your Dead Man's Switch on, check-ins missed, and no reply from trusted contacts or your executor (or none set). Any check-in, reply or payment stops it. See pricing.