1Password User Guide

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    1Password Preferences: Security

    The 1Password Agile Keychain file has several options that can be configured by clicking 1Password > Preferences, then the Security pane. Below are explanations for the features and options found in this pane.

    1P3 Preferences Security

    Location

    All your confidential information is stored in an Agile Keychain file and encrypted using your Master Password. The file is named 1Password.keychain and stored in the Home / Application Support / 1Password folder. You can use the options here to reveal the location of your Agile Keychain file in the Finder, choose a different keychain file, or move your existing file to a different location—perhaps to something like a Dropbox folder for syncing your Agile Keychain across your Macs.

    Auto-Lock

    The security features in this section allow you to automatically lock your Agile Keychain based on certain events or a time period of inactivity. Here are the settings and their meaning:

    Lock after [X] minutes of inactivity: If you do not use 1Password for a period of time, it can lock your Agile Keychain to make sure someone else cannot view or use your 1Password data. This is a good way to protect your data if you use 1Password at work or if your Mac gets stolen. However, the more frequently you set your Agile Keychain to lock, the more often you will have to type your Master Password to unlock and use your data.

    Note that this inactivity setting is specifically about 1Password inactivity, not inactivity on your Mac. You can use your Mac for non-1Password activities (such as playing a game or typing in Word), but if 1Password itself is not used for [X] minutes, it will lock your keychain, even though your Mac may be active.

    Lock when sleeping: 1Password can lock your Agile Keychain each time your Mac goes to sleep. This is another way to keep your data secure, but it also means you will have to enter your Master Password each time you want to use 1Password after waking your Mac.

    Lock when screen saver is activated: 1Password can lock your Agile Keychain whenever your Mac’s screen saver activates. This is a way to protect your data from other people, as screen savers are often activated when you are away from your Mac for long periods of time. This is especially useful in work environments where other people could gain access to your Mac.

    Unlocking

    Disable automatic unlock for 1Password: you will be asked for master password every time you launch 1Password application. The main application will not be unlocked when you type the master password in the browser.

    Disable automatic unlock for all applications: you will need to type the master password separately in 1Password and Safari (and other browsers). By default unlocking 1Password unlocks all browsers.

    Never prompt for master password: Your Master Password will be stored in the OS X Keychain, and as long as the OS X Keychain is unlocked (which by default it is), 1Password will always be unlocked and never prompt you for your Master Password. This option is not enabled by default. While it makes using 1Password to fill logins and shopping forms more convenient, it is also less secure.

    Master Password

    The Master Password (keychain password) is managed by Mac OS X and the 1Password application cannot change the password using OS X’s Keychain Services. To change your Master Password: