Switching from Apple Keychain to 1Password

BrianG

One of the advantages of implementing 1Password for better password security would seem to be [b][i]moving[/i][/b], rather than [b][i]copying[/i][/b], password management out of Apple's keychain and into 1Password. None of the help information or support posts seem to deal with how to do this, and I think simply starting to use 1Password would result in a duplication of all my passwords - one copy in Apple's keychain, and one in 1Password.



So I've done some experimenting, and this is what I have learned so far.



1 - When I visit a site for the first time with 1Password active, the program offers to have me save the password. I accept.



2 - I then delete the entry in Apple's keychain, using the Keychain Access utility.



3 - I turned off "Autofill web forms User names and passwords" in the Autofill tab in Safari's preferences. Actually, I just discovered that the Edit... button on this tab lets me remove the passwords from Apple's keychain directly from within Safari.



4 - Now, when I visit the site again, the signin information is blank, and I have to use the "Fill and Submit" option under the 1P button to sign in (which is what I want). I make sure any "Remember this password" option is not checked. Safari doesn't add the password back to its list in the Apple keychain, so it seems that this method successfully [i][b]moves[/b][/i], rather than [i][b]copies[/b][/i], the password to 1Password.



5 - A special case concerns Google Mail and Calendar. The 1Password record does not seem to be available to Apple's iCal and Mail programs, so they cannot log in to the gmail accounts automatically. (The Safari access works with the 1P button, as expected.) In these cases, I updated the account information in the programs' preferences, and the passwords reappeared in Apple's keychain.



I suppose could have simply imported all my passwords to 1Password, and then used the "Remove All" button in Safari -> Preferences -> Autofill -> Use names and passwords -> Edit, to accomplish this more quickly, but this would have also copied years of accumulated crud over as well. I'm using my switch to 1Password as an opportunity to houseclean.



I think Agile Solutions should develop a help topic or tutorial on this issue. In the meantime, I will continue my experimentation, and update here with what I learn, to possibly help others. One of my next objectives will be to include my iOS devices, and hopefully move (rather than copy) my passwords to 1Password on my iPad and my iPhone.

RobYoder

Hi, Brian, and welcome to the forums! That's not a bad idea, actually. Do you mind if I use your post, edited, to make a quick tutorial or add to an existing one?

RobYoder

Actually, Brian, could you clarify number 1 for me? How do you fill your username and password if you have Safari's AutoFill off? Also, when did you delete the rest of your passwords? I mean, when did you decide that you had transferred all the passwords that you wanted and delete the rest? I assume you did at one point because of this quote:



[quote]I suppose could have simply imported all my passwords to 1Password, and then used the "Remove All" button in Safari -> Preferences -> Autofill -> Use names and passwords -> Edit, to accomplish this more quickly, but this would have also copied years of accumulated crud over as well. I'm using my switch to 1Password as an opportunity to houseclean.[/quote]



I'm wondering then how much this helps. If you already know which logins you don't want, can't you just delete them and import the rest using 1Password's Import Assistant? I'm hoping you know something that I've missed, because I like the idea. I'm just struggling to make it easy for other users to understand and follow.



Thanks!

BrianG

Yes, you can use my post as the basis of a help article or tutorial.



To clarify, I originally imported all my Keychain passwords into 1Password, but then I abandoned this approach because of all the obsolete passwords. I erased my 1Password keychain file, and started over.



I've turned Safari's autofill passwords back on, to get them filled in when first revisiting a site. However, I haven't yet looked to see if I can turn off its prompt, "Would you like to save this password?", for all sites, without having to reply Never each time, so as not to store the password back into Apple's Keychain.



I'm going through my web logins (there must be 150 of them!) one at a time to review each one, update the password if required, and move it to 1Password.

RobYoder

I might still be missing something, but if you know which ones you want and which ones you don't, why don't you just delete the ones you don't want and import the rest into 1Password?



If you import the ones you want, and later, when you use them, they don't fill correctly, that's ok. You can just copy the raw information from 1Password into the form, and then save the new login over the old one.

BrianG

[quote name='RobYoder' timestamp='1294347081' post='18572']

I might still be missing something, but if you know which ones you want and which ones you don't, why don't you just delete the ones you don't want and import the rest into 1Password?



If you import the ones you want, and later, when you use them, they don't fill correctly, that's ok. You can just copy the raw information from 1Password into the form, and then save the new login over the old one.

[/quote]



I guess it's because I don't really know the ones I want to drop, but more the ones I want to keep. But you're right, I could reverse my approach - drop the ones I know I don't want, and migrate the others. I prefer to migrate the ones I know I want to keep, and then erase the others.

RobYoder

OK, thanks for clarifying. We appreciate the feedback!

Barbara E

My Keychain is no longer able to access the passwords stored there. I have been on the Apple Forum seeking help without success. I don't have a problem with website passwords, as 1Password is able to access those. My problem lies with my software passwords. The Mail program is constantly asking for my password as is my Endicia mail program, accounting program and there may be others I haven't yet to come across.



My question is, can I store "software" passwords in 1Password? If so how would I go about doing this and is it possible to set up the passwords up for auto access so I don't have to retype the password each time I open the program?











[quote name='BrianG' timestamp='1294346676' post='18571']

Yes, you can use my post as the basis of a help article or tutorial.



To clarify, I originally imported all my Keychain passwords into 1Password, but then I abandoned this approach because of all the obsolete passwords. I erased my 1Password keychain file, and started over.



I've turned Safari's autofill passwords back on, to get them filled in when first revisiting a site. However, I haven't yet looked to see if I can turn off its prompt, "Would you like to save this password?", for all sites, without having to reply Never each time, so as not to store the password back into Apple's Keychain.



I'm going through my web logins (there must be 150 of them!) one at a time to review each one, update the password if required, and move it to 1Password.

[/quote]

RobYoder

Hello, Barbara, and welcome to the forums!



Unfortunately, at this time, it is not possible for 1Password to integrate with programs like Mail to autofill login information. 1Password fills web forms, but not application forms. This capability is a popular feature request, but it is much easier requested than implemented. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' /> We have some new features coming up, but this one might take a while longer.



However, it is always an option to launch 1Password and click to copy/paste your information into another application like Mail.

BrianG

[quote name='Barbara E' timestamp='1294860920' post='18889']

My Keychain is no longer able to access the passwords stored there. I have been on the Apple Forum seeking help without success. I don't have a problem with website passwords, as 1Password is able to access those. My problem lies with my software passwords. The Mail program is constantly asking for my password as is my Endicia mail program, accounting program and there may be others I haven't yet to come across.



My question is, can I store "software" passwords in 1Password? If so how would I go about doing this and is it possible to set up the passwords up for auto access so I don't have to retype the password each time I open the program?

[/quote]



I think you have to go to the Accounts pane in Preferences in Mail to set the password for your email accounts. It will be stored in the Apple keychain.

KenO

Thank You BrianG



Your post as really helped



I was trying to achieve the same result,to be able to click on a bookmark in Safari then get a blank login so I could populate it using 1password



This as done the trick as after 9 months of syncing with mobileme all my login boxes were all completed as I clicked the bookmark, something I had been concerned about for ages, So I am now using 1password click and fill and feel much more secure on all my Mac's



Once again thanks for the post it works !! <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':P' />

khad

Awesome! That's why we have forums. One never knows who will find something useful in the future. Six months later, here we are. <img src='http://forum.agile.ws/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/skype_smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':-)' />



Very cool. We've got the best (and most helpful) customers around.



If you ever need anything else, you know where to find us.



Cheers!