SINGAPORE — A TikTok post has generated online buzz after it made some online users discover an Apple feature that they did not know existed: The legacy contact.

An Apple user can choose anyone to be his legacy contact. That person would be able to access the data in the user's Apple account after the user's death.

On Sunday (June 23), TikToker "shaozhi21" posted screenshots of his conversation with his sister when he was caught up in the shooting incident at Siam Paragon in Bangkok on Oct 3 last year.

One of Thailand’s most popular shopping malls, it was the scene of a deadly mass shooting carried out by a 14-year-old boy.

Three people were killed while several others were injured.

In his post, "shaozhi21" recounted how he hid in a fitting room with 10 other people and was later told by some Thais to seek safety in a storeroom with a group of 50 people. 

He wrote in the video caption: "Never in a million years would I expect to get into a mass shooting as a sheltered Singaporean."

Among his messages asking for updates on the shooting, he also sent a legacy contact access key. 

The key would enable his chosen legacy contacts to access data stored on his Apple account if he were to die. 

The post has garnered 552,300 views and 59,200 likes as of Monday afternoon.

WHAT IS A LEGACY CONTACT?

Some people were surprised to find out that the legacy contact feature existed.

One TikTok user wrote: "What is legacy contact?! Should I know it?" 

Another user asked: "What is legacy contact key?"

Apple's website states that the legacy contact feature is available for users with devices running iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2 or macOS Monterey 12.1, or later.

Apple users may select anyone from their contact list to be their legacy contact, and they can designate more than one person. The legacy contact does not need an Apple ID or an Apple device.

After choosing someone as a legacy contact, the Apple user will be asked to generate an access key. The user can then send the key digitally or print it out and give a physical copy to the legacy contact.

The legacy contact will need this access key, as well as the user's death certificate, to file a request with Apple to access the user's files after he dies.

The TikTok post by "shaozhi21" has encouraged some people to set up their own legacy contact. 

One said: "I definitely need to make a legacy contact file." 

Another added: "I should probably set that up myself." 

TODAY has reached out to "shaozhi21" for comment.