How to change or update your will

How do you change a will?

Make a codicil or a new will. GOV.UK says you cannot amend a will after it has been signed and witnessed, and that for major changes you should make a new will that revokes all previous wills and codicils. Crossing out or adding words on the signed original has no effect unless the change itself is signed and witnessed (Wills Act 1837, section 21).

Either way, the new document needs the full signing ceremony: you sign in front of two witnesses present at the same time, and each then signs in front of you. See how to sign and witness a will.

What should you check before making a change?

Start with the current signed will and every codicil, then write a separate list of what you want to keep and change. Leave the originals unmarked. A useful review covers:

• People: the executors, guardians and beneficiaries, including anyone named as a substitute.
• Gifts: specific items or sums, shares of the remaining estate, and what should happen if a beneficiary dies before you.
• Circumstances: marriage plans, separation, children, property ownership or anything else that makes the old instructions unsuitable.
• Identity only: if wishes are unchanged but a person now uses another name, follow the name and estate-record checklist first.

GOV.UK's will-writing guidance explains these key decisions and when professional advice is appropriate. If your existing will includes trusts, overseas arrangements or other tailored provisions, ask a solicitor before replacing it with a standard document. Check SwiftWill's suitability limits; our service does not individually review a previous will or reproduce its bespoke clauses.

Should you use a codicil or make a new will?

A new will is usually clearer for anything more than a small change. A codicil is a separate document read alongside the will; see what is a codicil.

Worked example: replacing an executor

This fictional example illustrates the process, not wording to copy. Jo's executor has died, and Jo wants to appoint a willing replacement while keeping the same beneficiaries. Jo gathers the signed will and a later codicil, lists both the intended change and the wishes to retain, and checks whether any provisions need advice. A codicil may suit the limited change; if Jo chooses a complete replacement, the whole new document needs checking, not just the executor's name. The update is finished only after proper signing and witnessing, followed by safe storage and telling the new executor where to find it.

Which life events change a will automatically?

Marriage and divorce change a will without you doing anything.

• Marriage or civil partnership revokes it. A will is revoked when you marry (section 18) or form a civil partnership (section 18B), unless the will shows you expected that specific marriage or civil partnership and intended it to remain in effect. Converting a civil partnership into a marriage does not revoke it. See does marriage revoke a will.
• Divorce or dissolution changes it. The will stands, but your former spouse or civil partner is treated as having died on the date of the divorce or dissolution for gifts to them and their appointment as executor or trustee (sections 18A and 18C), unless the will shows a contrary intention. An appointment of them as guardian is also revoked unless the appointment shows a contrary intention (Children Act 1989, section 6). See does divorce affect a will.

Separation does not change a will. Until a final divorce or dissolution order, a spouse or civil partner keeps whatever the will gives them.

When should you review your will?

GOV.UK recommends a review every five years and after any major change in your life. Its examples are separating or divorcing, getting married, having a child, moving house and the death of the executor named in your will. Other changes worth a review include:

• forming a civil partnership (the old will is revoked, as with marriage);
• the birth of a grandchild you want to include;
• a large change in what you own, or how your home is owned;
• the death of a guardian or beneficiary;
• a child reaching 18, if the will appoints guardians or holds shares on trust.

A name change on its own does not revoke a will. Keep documents linking your names and read name change and your will.

How do you cancel an old will?

Under section 20, a will can be revoked by a later will or codicil, by a written declaration signed and witnessed like a will, or by burning, tearing or otherwise destroying it with the intention of revoking it. A new will normally starts with a clause revoking all earlier wills. GOV.UK then suggests destroying the old one. Do this only after the new will has been signed and witnessed.

How do SwiftWill updates work?

Import the private recovery file you downloaded with your order at the will interview, answer the current screening questions, change your wishes and read the new preview. Under the terms, updates for the same people are free: the names, dates of birth, product and email addresses must match the paid order. Contact support for identity corrections or an older order. Download a fresh recovery file after each update.

The regenerated document is only a will once it is printed, signed and witnessed. Destroy the earlier signed original after the new one is complete.

What should you do after signing the replacement?

Finish the handover as well as the paperwork. GOV.UK recommends telling your executor where your will is kept. Use this short completion check:

1. Keep the new signed original safely; a downloaded PDF or recovery file is not the signed original.
2. If a solicitor or storage provider holds the old original, ask how to replace it. See will storage options.
3. Update your executor handover record with the new will's date and location. Tell the people holding reference copies that you have replaced it.
4. Save the latest SwiftWill recovery file privately if you used the service, and set a reminder for your next review.

If you used a codicil instead, keep it with the existing will and earlier codicils; do not follow the replacement-will step of destroying that will.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Update your will
• GOV.UK: Write your will, including advice and storage
• GOV.UK: Make sure your will is legal
• Wills Act 1837: sections 18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 20 and 21
• Children Act 1989, section 6

Sources checked 6 October 2026. The worked example is fictional and is not individual legal advice.