Some things are easier to write down than to say out loud.

Where the key to the safe deposit box is. Which neighbor has the spare house key. The hospital your doctor wants you taken to. That you love someone you haven’t said it to in years.

A “just in case” message is a way to put those things somewhere a trusted person will find them — but only if they actually need to. Not now. Not in a “preparing for the worst” way. Just sitting there, sealed, waiting in case it’s ever useful.

This piece is about what these messages are, when they’re worth writing, and how I’m Okay’s Just in Case feature handles them.

What “just in case” means here

A just in case message is a piece of writing — usually short — that goes to one or more pre-chosen people only if a defined condition triggers it. In I’m Okay’s version, the trigger is: you stop checking in for an extended period (2, 3, or 5 missed check-in days, your choice).

If you’re checking in normally, the message stays sealed and unread, even by us. You can update it any time. Nothing ever happens with it unless the trigger fires.

This is a smaller-scale, lower-stakes cousin of formal estate planning. It doesn’t replace a will, doesn’t replace a power of attorney, doesn’t replace a healthcare directive. Those are legal documents for the major decisions. A just in case message is for the practical, immediate, “here’s what someone needs to know in the first 48 hours” details.

Why people write them

Common reasons:

Practical information transfer. Where the spare car keys are. The Wi-Fi password. Which plants need water. How to access the bank account. Which neighbor to call about the dog.

Emotional reassurance. A short message saying “I love you, this isn’t your fault, I’m not in pain” — for the situation where someone is trying to reach you and can’t, and is starting to imagine the worst.

Logistical clarity. “Don’t bother flying out yet — wait until you hear more.” “Call my friend Jane first, she has the keys.” “My will is with attorney X.” Practical instructions that reduce panic.

A goodbye, in case. This is the heaviest version. Most people don’t write this directly; it tends to be embedded in the other categories. (“If you’re reading this, know that…”)

You don’t have to write any of these. Many people write only the practical version. Others write only the emotional version. Both are reasonable.

When a just in case message is worth writing

It’s worth writing if any of these apply:

You live alone.
Your family is in different cities or countries.
Your health has any element of unpredictability (a chronic condition, recent diagnosis, advancing age).
You travel frequently, especially alone.
You have practical information no one else knows (where things are, account access, etc.).
You’ve ever thought “I really should write that down somewhere.”

If none of these apply, it might not be necessary yet. The category gets more useful as life gets more complicated.

How I’m Okay’s Just in Case feature works

In the app, the flow is:

Write the message in the app’s Just in Case screen. Plain text. As long or short as you want.
Choose the trigger. 2, 3, or 5 missed check-in days. Default is 3.
The message is encrypted and stored. We can’t read it. Apple’s secure enclave + end-to-end encryption.
You’re notified before any send. If you miss the configured number of check-in days, we send you a notification first (“Your Just in Case message is about to send to [Contact] — tap here to cancel”).
If you don’t cancel within 24 hours, the message is sent to your primary trusted contact via email.

The key safety mechanism is step 4: you always get a heads-up before any message goes out. This is to prevent accidental sends if you’ve just been on vacation or your phone died.

You can update or delete the message anytime. Premium feature; see App Store for current pricing.

What to put in a just in case message

A practical template, in roughly the order people find useful:

1. Tone-setter (one line)

Open with something that sets the right emotional frame:

“This is just in case — I’m probably fine. But if you’re reading this, here’s everything you might need.”
“I love you. This is the info I want you to have.”
“If you’re reading this, please don’t panic. Most likely I just forgot to check in for a few days.”

2. Immediate practicalities (where things are)

Just the operational stuff:

Spare key location
Where to find important documents (will, passport, insurance cards)
Vehicle registration / keys location
Emergency contacts not in your phone
Pets / plants / dependencies that need handling
Subscriptions or scheduled deliveries

3. Health information

If relevant:

Current medications
Allergies
Existing conditions
Your doctor’s name and contact
Preferred hospital or care provider
Healthcare proxy contact

4. Financial / digital

If you want to:

Where the will is (and who the attorney is)
Bank accounts and how to access them (or where the password manager master is)
Recurring bills that need handling
Online accounts that may need attention

A separate note: don’t put actual passwords in this message. Use a password manager and tell your contact where it is and how to access it.

5. Personal / relational

The emotional content:

People to notify (and who’s already been told)
Things you want said to specific people
A goodbye, if you want to write one

6. Funeral / arrangement preferences

Only if you want to specify:

Burial / cremation preference
Service preference
Where to find the formal documents

If this section feels too heavy, skip it. A separate, more formal end-of-life document is better for these decisions anyway.

Three example messages

Three different styles, for three different purposes:

Example 1: Practical, for an independent elder

Hi sweetheart,

If you’re getting this, I haven’t checked in for a few days. Most likely I’m fine and just forgot — please call before you panic.

If something has happened: the spare house key is with Margaret next door (apt 4B). My will is with Henderson & Black on Main Street; their number is in the kitchen drawer. The car keys are in the blue bowl. My health insurance card is in my wallet.

Dr. Patel is my doctor — number in my phone under “Doc Patel.”

The dog needs his medication twice a day; instructions are taped to the fridge. Mrs. Liu next door has agreed to take him.

I love you. Don’t make a fuss.

Mom

Example 2: Brief, for a traveling adult

If you’re seeing this, I’ve missed three days of check-ins.

First: try the hotel I should be at (info in our shared calendar).

If that doesn’t work: my embassy contact info is on the printed itinerary by my computer.

My passport copy is in iCloud Drive under “Travel Docs.”

I love you. Probably nothing — but I figured I’d write this anyway.

Example 3: Emotional, for a partner

I love you. Whatever happened, it isn’t your fault, and I wasn’t worried.

The practical stuff: Sarah at my office can handle work. My sister has agreed to help with funeral things if needed — her number is on the fridge.

Don’t sell the house unless you want to. Don’t move unless you want to. Don’t apologize to anyone for grieving how you grieve.

Thank you for everything. Truly everything.

Yours

What not to do

A few common mistakes:

Don’t put passwords directly in the message. Use a password manager, give your contact the master password (or where to find it) by another channel.

Don’t write it once and forget it. Update it once a year, or whenever significant life changes happen (new home, new doctor, new accounts).

Don’t be the only person who knows the message exists. Mention to your trusted contact that you have one set up. If they have no idea, the email may be confusing or seem like a scam.

Don’t use it as a legal document. Wills, advance directives, and powers of attorney are separate, legally binding documents. A just in case message is informal and not legally enforceable on its own.

Don’t write it once when you’re feeling morbid and never look at it again. The dramatic-mood version often doesn’t reflect what you’d actually want to say. Set a reminder to revisit annually.

Why this is part of I’m Okay (and not a separate app)

Some products do “digital legacy” as their whole pitch — encrypted message vaults, time-released notes, dead man’s switches. They’re typically standalone services that require yet another account and subscription.

I’m Okay’s Just in Case feature is integrated for one reason: the trigger we already have (missed check-ins) is the natural trigger for this kind of message. There’s no point building a separate system to detect “is this person unable to communicate?” when we already have that signal as the core of the product.

It’s a Premium feature — included with the optional subscription, alongside extra contacts and customizable windows. Current pricing is shown in the App Store (apps.apple.com/us/app/im-okay/id6757645189).

Frequently asked questions

Is the message readable by you (I’m Okay) before it sends? No. The message is encrypted on your device before being stored on our servers. We can’t read it. When the trigger condition is met, the encrypted message is sent to your contact’s email — we never see the plaintext.

What if I’m just on vacation and my phone is off? That’s why we send you a notification before any message goes out. If you miss your check-ins (because you’re traveling, your phone died, etc.), you’ll get a heads-up notification: “Your Just in Case message is about to send. Tap to cancel.” You have 24 hours to cancel before any send happens.

Can my contact reply to the message? The email arrives from a no-reply address. If you want them to be able to reach you (in case you’re still around and the message went out by mistake), include your contact info in the message itself.

What happens if I cancel my Premium subscription? The Just in Case message remains stored but the trigger is deactivated. You can re-enable by re-subscribing. The message itself is not deleted unless you delete it.

Is this morbid? Some people find writing it surprisingly cathartic — putting practical information in writing reduces a vague anxiety many people carry. Others find it heavy. If you’re in the second camp, it’s fine to skip the feature. The core daily check-in works perfectly well without it.

What if I never get triggered? Is the message wasted effort? The vast majority of just in case messages never get sent. That’s the goal. The act of writing one — and knowing it exists — is the actual value, regardless of whether it’s ever read.

Just in Case is one of those features that’s better to have and not need than to need and not have. If you’d like to write one, install I’m Okay on iPhone — no sign-up required, the Just in Case feature is included with Premium (see App Store for current pricing).

Just in Case: How to Leave a Safety Message for Loved Ones