Archive mode is the most complicated thing GeraClone does and the thing we talk about the least. This post exists because some customers ask for it, not because we're trying to lead with it.
What it is. An optional toggle on your clone. If you designate beneficiaries in the dashboard (each with a share_percent summing to ≤100%) and they later activate the estate with a verified death-certificate document, your clone moves to ARCHIVE status.
What changes when activated. The mode flips to ARCHIVE. The self-disclosure text updates to 'I'm a simulation. This clone is now managed by X's estate.' Billing transfers to the beneficiary account. The clone tightens its refusal logic: it will not make forward-looking statements, will not claim to know anything about events after the owner's last data sync, and will surface the death date explicitly if asked.
Who asks for this. Small minority of customers — usually people who have already thought about digital legacy and have a specific reason. A grandparent who wants grandchildren to be able to ask questions years later. A writer who wants their style and voice preserved for academic research. A public figure with a recognised historical archive.
Who should NOT use this. If you're grieving and looking for a way to 'talk to' someone you've lost, archive mode is not a grief substitute. Please talk to a real person. In the UK, Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24/7). We will gently redirect grief-signalled chats to a human.
Why we don't lead with this. Memorial/legacy framing is sad and attracts a support burden we are not equipped to handle. We built GeraClone as a productivity + creator tool. Archive mode is there for the small number of customers who want it, configured quietly on the dashboard, not featured on the homepage.
If you want it: it's one checkbox in your dashboard. If you don't: you will never see it again.