1Password Essential Guide Cheatsheet

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Computer Science / Cybersecurity

April 25, 2025 00:03

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Basics & Core Features

Item Types

Login	Username and password for websites and apps.
Secure Note	Sensitive text information like codes or notes.
Identity	Personal information like name, address, phone.
Credit Card	Payment card details for easy checkout.
Software License	Registration keys and license details.
Bank Account	Bank account details.
Server	Server credentials and details.
Wireless Router	Wi-Fi network name and password.

Adding & Editing Items

Automatically save Logins:
When you sign up for a new website or change your password, 1Password prompts you to save or update the Login item.

Manually add items:
Click the ‘+’ button in the toolbar or use Cmd + N (macOS) / Ctrl + N (Windows) to choose an item type and fill in the details.

Edit items:
Select an item, then click ‘Edit’. Remember to click ‘Save’ when done.

Tip: Use the ^ (Disclosure triangle) to reveal hidden fields like passwords.

Add custom fields:
When editing, click ‘Add More’ to add custom text, section, or password fields.

Linked Items:
Link related items (e.g., Software License to a Login) for quick access.

File Attachments:
Attach documents or images to any item. Useful for things like passport scans (in an Identity item) or license files.

Filling & Saving

Browser Extension:
The primary way to fill. Look for the 1Password icon in form fields or the toolbar. Click it to select the item you want to fill.

Autofill keyboard shortcut:
Use Cmd + \ (macOS) or Ctrl + \ (Windows/Linux) to automatically fill Login items on a page. If multiple Logins exist, a pop-up allows selection.

Drag and Drop:
Drag usernames, passwords, or other fields directly from the 1Password app or extension into fields on a webpage or app.

Copy and Paste:
Right-click on a field within an item to copy its value (Cmd + C / Ctrl + C). 1Password automatically clears the clipboard after a short time.

Manual Save:
If 1Password doesn’t prompt to save, right-click the extension icon and select ‘Save Login’.

Fill Identities & Credit Cards:
Use the extension icon in form fields or the toolbar to fill addresses, credit card details, etc.

Filling in Apps:
Use the Cmd + \ or Ctrl + \ shortcut within supported desktop apps to fill credentials.

Shortcuts & Navigation

Quick Access (macOS & Windows)

Open Quick Access	macOS: `Cmd + Shift + Space` Windows: `Ctrl + Shift + Space`
Search for items	Start typing the item name, tag, or website
Open selected item	`Enter`
Autofill selected Login	`Cmd + \` (macOS) `Ctrl + \` (Windows)
Generate Password	Type “gen” or “generate”
Create new item	Type “create” or “new”

General App Shortcuts (macOS)

Open Main App	`Cmd + Option + \`
Lock 1Password	`Cmd + Option + L`
New Item	`Cmd + N`
New Vault	`Cmd + Control + N`
Find (Search)	`Cmd + F`
Edit Item	`Cmd + E`
Save Item	`Cmd + S`
Delete Item	`Cmd + Delete`

General App Shortcuts (Windows)

Open Main App	`Ctrl + Alt + \`
Lock 1Password	`Ctrl + Alt + L`
New Item	`Ctrl + N`
New Vault	`Ctrl + Shift + N`
Find (Search)	`Ctrl + F`
Edit Item	`Ctrl + E`
Save Item	`Ctrl + S`
Delete Item	`Delete`

Browser Extension Shortcuts

Autofill Login	macOS: `Cmd + \` Windows: `Ctrl + \`
Open 1Password pop-up	macOS: `Cmd + Shift + X` Windows: `Ctrl + Shift + X`
Generate Password	Click the ‘+’ icon in the password field or use the generator within the pop-up.
Save New Login	Right-click 1Password icon -> Save Login

Searching & Filtering

Search Bar: Located at the top of the app. Type anything - name, tag, website, even text within notes.

Quick Access: Use the Quick Access shortcut (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + Space) for faster searching from anywhere.

Filtering: Use the sidebar to filter by:

Categories: (e.g., Logins, Secure Notes)
Vaults: (if you have multiple)
Tags: (custom labels you add to items)

Smart Folders: Create custom saved searches based on criteria like tag, type, or if the item has attachments.

Related Items: View items linked to the currently selected item in the item detail view.

Security & Advanced Features

Watchtower

Overview: Provides insights into the security of your saved items.

Alerts for:

Compromised Passwords: Found in known data breaches.
Vulnerable Passwords: Weak, reused, or old passwords.
Inactive 2FA: Items that support two-factor authentication but don’t have a One-Time Password saved.
Other Issues: Secure websites using HTTP, expired items, etc.

Actionable Steps: Click on a Watchtower category to see affected items and get guidance on how to fix them (e.g., change password, add 2FA).

Staying Secure: Regularly check Watchtower and act on its recommendations to improve your overall security posture.

How to Access: Click ‘Watchtower’ in the sidebar of the main 1Password app.

Password Generator

Generate Secure Passwords	Use the built-in generator (available in the app, Quick Access, and browser extension) to create strong, unique passwords.
Types of Passwords	Random: (e.g., `Xyz7!@#1aB`) Memorable: (e.g., `correct-horse-battery-staple`)
Customization Options	Adjust length, include/exclude numbers, symbols, uppercase/lowercase letters. For memorable passwords, adjust number of words, separator, capitalization, and numbers.
Save Automatically	When creating or updating a Login, use the generator in the password field. 1Password saves the generated password with the item.
Accessibility	Access via ‘+’ in password fields, 1Password icon in toolbar, Quick Access (‘gen’), or within the main app.
Why Use It?	Prevents password reuse and ensures passwords meet complexity requirements, greatly increasing security.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Save One-Time Passwords (OTPs): 1Password can generate and store time-based one-time passwords (TOTP) codes for sites that support 2FA.

How to add: Edit a Login item, click ‘Add More’ -> ‘One-Time Password’. Scan the QR code provided by the website or manually enter the key.

Autofill OTPs: When you log in to a site with a saved OTP, 1Password will automatically copy the current code to your clipboard after filling the username/password. Just paste it into the OTP field.

View Current OTP: The current OTP is displayed prominently when you view or edit an item.

Why use 1Password for 2FA?: It centralizes your credentials and 2FA codes, removes reliance on your phone, and often makes logging in faster by automatically copying the code.

Watchtower Check: Watchtower alerts you to sites where you can use 2FA but haven’t set it up in 1Password.

Security Note: While convenient, storing passwords and their corresponding OTPs in the same vault increases the impact if the vault is compromised. For maximum security, consider a separate method for critical accounts (though 1Password is generally considered very secure).

Organizing & Sharing

Vaults	Separate items into different vaults (e.g., Personal, Work, Family). Useful for sharing.
Tags	Add custom keywords to items for easier filtering and searching (e.g., #social-media, #finance, #travel). Add multiple tags per item.
Sharing Items	Share copies of items securely with others who have 1Password (requires a team/family/business account). Right-click item -> Share.
Item History	View previous versions of an item. Useful if you accidentally change or delete information. Access from the item’s detail view.
Favorites	Mark frequently used items as Favorites for quick access from the sidebar or top of search results.
Archiving	Hide items you don’t need but don’t want to delete. Archived items can be restored.