Building a better, more useful 1Password

Building a better, more useful 1Password

Matt Grimes by Matt Grimes on

The difference between good and great software isn’t flashy features: it’s the feeling of using a tool that just works. With this in mind, our team recently decided to press pause, roll up our collective sleeves, and spend some quality time improving the fundamentals of 1Password 8.

First, we collected all the feedback you’ve been sharing on our forum and on social media, in various app store reviews, and through conversations with our team. We then turned these requests into a to-do list and tasked ourselves with bringing as many of them to life as possible.

Below is a sneak peek at what we’ve been working on. (If you’re an iPhone user, there’s a lot to be excited about.) All of these improvements are either live right now, or coming in the near future. We can’t wait for you to try them.

Reorder fields and sections inside items

iOS: Available now
Android: Available now
Desktop: Available now

Every item can contain multiple fields and sections. But what if you want to re-order those different bits of information? Soon, you’ll be able to do just that in 1Password 8. Just edit the item, then drag-and-drop to your heart’s content.

You might notice a couple of limitations at first, but we’ll be working hard to give you true freedom and flexibility in every saved item. (We know this is a highly requested feature, so we want to get it into your hands as quickly as possible!)

Two screenshots showing how to reorder fields in a saved item.

Ability to search within any list of items

iOS: Available now
Android: Available now

We’re bringing this back to 1Password 8 for iOS and Android. In any list of items, you can enter a query to quickly find the one that you’re looking for.

Two iPhone screenshots showing how to search within a list of items.

PIN unlock on mobile

iOS: Coming soon
Android: Coming soon

You asked for it, and it’s happening. Soon, you’ll have the ability to use your device PIN code or pattern to unlock 1Password. You will, of course, still have the option to unlock with biometrics or your account password, if that’s your preference.

Two iPhone screenshots showing how to set a PIN Code in 1Password 8 for iOS.

Improved Face ID unlock

iOS: Available now

Face ID is a fast and secure way to unlock 1Password and access everything stored in your vaults. We’re working on a lot of improvements so that Face ID is an even more consistent way to unlock 1Password 8 for iOS and 1Password for Safari.

Set a default vault for saved items

iOS: Available now
Android: Available now
Desktop: Available now

Do you juggle a mixture of private and shared vaults? Or have a work and personal account, with multiple vaults in each? Set a default vault for all new items that you save via the browser, so that you never misplace any of your sensitive data.

Better VoiceOver support

iOS: Available now

VoiceOver is an amazing accessibility feature by Apple that helps visually impaired people. We’ve improved 1Password 8 so that VoiceOver no longer gets stuck in some text fields. The screen reader will also read out all characters as you go past them – even if you start editing the associated text.

Finally, if you’re typing in a text field and make a mistake, you can go back and find the right spot using the arrow keys. All the text will be selected and read out, however you can also choose a specific part by holding shift and an arrow key.

A simpler set up process for new users

Web: Available now

We want to make it easier for everyone to use a password manager, regardless of how tech-savvy they are. A new setup process on the web puts a greater focus on importing data and getting started with 1Password in the browser.

Option to turn off Emergency Kits (1Password Business)

Web: Available now

The Emergency Kit is a helpful document that gives team members all of their account information and a place to write their account password. While useful, we recognize that every business is unique, with its own people, culture, and security policies. So we’ve added the option to disable Emergency Kits, reducing the friction for new team members who are getting started with 1Password.

A screenshot showing how admins can turn off Emergency Kits in the web-based dashboard.

Option to turn off file storage (1Password Business)

Web: Available now

Don’t want your team members storing documents and other files in 1Password? No problem. We’re giving you the option to turn off file storage.

A screenshot showing how admins can turn off file storage in the web-based dashboard.

Option to enforce 2FA using only security keys (1Password Business)

Web: Available now

Enforcing two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of protection to team members' 1Password accounts. But some forms of 2FA are stronger than others. Level up your security by requiring that everyone uses a FIDO2/WebAuthn security key to unlock 1Password.

And so, so much more

Here are some of the other updates that are now live in 1Password 8:

  • A new indicator in our mobile apps that makes it easier to access additional options within an item. For example, this will bring up the option to copy, reveal, or show a password in large type.

  • An offline indicator will show when you don’t have a connection to our servers.

  • The option to specify that an item should “never fill on this website”. (Live in 1Password 8 for Mac, Windows and Linux, and coming soon to mobile!)

  • A beautiful App Catalog on mobile that suggests items to add to your vaults. (Live in 1Password 8 for iOS, and coming soon to Android!)

  • More ways to customize the home screen of 1Password 8 for iOS and Android.

  • The ability to instantly open a saved address in your preferred map app.

  • Simpler instructions for setting up autofill on an iPhone or Android device.

  • Recently searched items will appear at the top of the search tab in 1Password 8 for iOS and Android. Search results will also load in as soon as you start typing.

  • The option to specify that an item should only be filled on the exact domain you’ve chosen. So a password for rick.greatmemes.com doesn’t autofill on phil.greatmemes.com (Live in 1Password 8 for Mac, Windows and Linux, and coming soon to mobile!)

  • The ability to edit and delete vaults in 1Password 8 for iOS and Android.

  • Accessibility improvements throughout 1Password 8 for iOS and Android.

  • The ability to import passwords from within 1Password 8 for iOS and Android.

  • 1Password Business: A public preview of Unlock with Okta, which gives teams the ability to manage and secure everything in their password manager with single sign-on (SSO).

And here are some additional updates coming soon:

  • The option to turn off auto-submit while using Universal Autofill in 1Password 8 for Mac.

  • Helpful username suggestions that are based on usernames you’ve chosen and saved in 1Password before.

Thank you!

These updates are just a snapshot of what we’ve been working on recently. If you want to learn more and keep up to date with the latest 1Password builds, check out our releases page.

From everyone at 1Password: thank you. Your brilliant requests, ideas, and feedback help us build an even better password manager. One that allows everyone to use strong passwords and navigate the web without fear or friction.

We hope you enjoy these new updates, and look forward to sharing even more features, tools, and enhancements with you in 2023!

(Editor’s note: This post was last updated on 02/15/2023.)

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Senior Director of Product - End User Experience

Matt Grimes - Senior Director of Product - End User Experience Matt Grimes - Senior Director of Product - End User Experience

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