Proton has rolled out a security-focused update called Emergency Access, giving subscribers the ability to assign up to five trusted contacts who can step in and access their accounts if needed. The feature is meant to cover real-life scenarios where you might not be able to log in yourself—whether you’re traveling, recovering from an illness, or, in more serious cases, have passed away.
The system is designed with both convenience and safeguards in mind. Trusted contacts must also be Proton users, ensuring the process stays within Proton’s secure ecosystem. When someone attempts to log in on your behalf, you’ll be alerted, and unless you actively deny the attempt, access will be granted. You also control whether access is immediate or delayed by a custom waiting period you set in advance.
However, this functionality is reserved exclusively for Proton’s paid plans. Whether you subscribe to Proton Pass, Mail, VPN, or Drive, you’ll be eligible to enable Emergency Access. For those seeking a more complete package of features across the entire Proton suite, the Proton Unlimited plan, priced at $9.99 a month, offers the broadest coverage.