How to use Auto-Fill in Android?
Hey all,
I've been using 1Password for years now with my IOS devices. I love how easy it is to use.
I just bought my first Android and I'm trying to get used to 1Password on it.
In order to use the auto-fill feature in GoogleChrome or any app browser, do I have to switch from the Android Keyboard to the 1Password Keyboard?
Does 1Password offer any kind of quick swipes in a certain direction to bring up the app while in Google Chrome?
I'm not finding that it's as easy to use 1Password on an Android device.
Maybe there are some tips someone could give me to make this an easier experience?
1Password Version: Not Provided
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: Not Provided
Sync Type: Not Provided
Comments
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@marker227 Welcome to Android! Thank you for your support for 1Password. :)
You are likely familiar with the iOS extension of 1Password that allows you to fill into Safari and supported apps. Unfortunately, a feature like this is not available on Android, but it can be achieved using different technologies from the platform.
We tested a few different approaches to accomplish filling on Android and we found using a custom keyboard to be the best in most cases. We understand switching keyboards isn’t the most convenient option, but it does allow you to fill in almost everywhere in the OS where an input is allowed. We also make it easy to switch between your keyboards by long-pressing the spacebar. That way you are only switching to the 1Password keyboard when you need to fill a login.
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I can only go one way to "switch between your keyboards by long-pressing the spacebar." You state: "That way you are only switching to the 1Password keyboard when you need to fill a login."
When I make the 1Password Keyboard the default, YES, it does appear correctly for me to use. YES, if I long-press the 1Password spacebar, YES, I am presented with the Controls > Language and input > Keyboard and input methods > Select Default windows, and YES, I can go to Samsung Default. PROBLEM - I cannot go the other way. The next time I need the 1Password Keyboard, NO, I cannot long-press the Samsung space bar and get the menu to select the 1Password Keyboard, for use or default. I have to go manually to: Settings > Controls > Language and input > Keyboard and input methods > Select Default window - which of course, does not save any time.
Conclusion 1: the long-spacebar "trick" is only one way, to permanently change default to Samsung. You cannot do as stated "switching to the 1Password keyboard when you need to fill a login." True?
Conclusion 2: I must use the 1Password Keyboard all the time. True?0 -
Conclusion 3: I believe you could not modify the behavior of the Samsung Keyboard with the long-pressing space bar functionality, otherwise you would have modified the Samsung Keyboard to do other 1Password things, right?
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@bluezango Your observations are true. Some keyboard makers allow you to switch by long-pressing the spacebar, like the Google Keyboard. But there are some that don’t allow switching using this technique. Unfortunately, for that, we don’t have solution in place without going through Settings to switch the keyboard. :(
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@saad, Learn something new all the time. Didn't realize you could hold the space bar to pop up the keyboard choices. I've on my phone a keyboard indicator at bottom right.
For me the Google Keyboard and the 1Password Keyboard when holding down space bar pops up the language selection. SwiftKey Keyboard doesn't seem to do the long space bar press to pop it up, but I still have the ability to quickly pop it up by keyboard indicator icon at very bottom right.
I'm on a Motorola X Pure Edition running Marshmallow 6.0.
After Googling it seems Android devices running 5.0+ should have the bottom right keyboard icon to quickly switch. It seems Android devices running 4.0 is where holding space bar came about to switch keyboards if the developer of keyboard implemented it.
Interesting stuff...
Here are what I see on my phone which I pointed out with red outlining:
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Indeed! I have a Nexus 5X and can tap the keyboard softkey in the bottom right corner of the screen to bring up my keyboard options when using SwiftKey. :)
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OK - I gotta ask. Why does Lastpass not require the use of a keyboard? When I have it open on my Nexus 6P and I open an app requiring an ID/password, Lastpass pops up and autofills it for me. Personally, I find the 1Password keyboard more of an annoyance than a feature.
I used to have a Mac and an iPhone, but since moving to Windows and Android, I find 1Password is not easy to work with and I'm actually using Lastpass most of the time. I've been a 1Password customer for a few years and have a sense of loyalty to the product, but find the Windows and Android versions a bit of a let-down.
Any plans to upgrade the functionality on Android?
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Hey @amswitzer. I recommend taking a look here for some insight into our decision to use the keyboard for filling.
One of our main priorities with filling was to avoid the clipboard, since the clipboard is vulnerable to sniffing. There are only a few ways to enter text into a text field from outside of the app that owns that text field. The keyboard and accessibility are two of those ways. However, just because an app uses accessibility to do filling, it doesn't mean that they are avoiding the clipboard.
I don't want to try to speak for other apps, but I suggest you check with their developers and confirm that their filling solution doesn't use the clipboard.
That said, we do indeed have plans to revisit filling and explore other avenues which will make filling more convenient without sacrificing security. :)
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Ah ha! Now it makes sense. Thanks for the quick response. I'll reconsider and play around with it more - perhaps it's not the end of the world to switch keyboards.
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No problem! Please do play around with it and hopefully it will get easier for you in the meantime.
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Follow up question:
I've been using Swiftkey for years now, so I'm a bit hesitant to do a keyboard swap.
If we're using a banking app vs the banking mobile site, does the keyboard still matter or not?
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Hey @rebelx13. The keyboard does indeed work for filling in apps as well. I'm a SwiftKey (on a Nexus 5X) user also, so my workflow is tap a login field, tap the keyboard softkey and select 1Password, unlock and select Login, fill, and long press on the 1Password keyboard to switch back to SwiftKey. It's not a lot of time or work and it works well for me. Everyone has different workflows, though.
We've also got plans to explore other avenues of app filling, which you can find a bit about here. Let us know if you have other questions!
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This is horrible UX, your competitors are years ahead...
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@adonisk We're currently reworking our filling implementation and hope to have some news on that front soon. Please have a look at my comment above for an explanation on why we originally went with the keyboard for filling.
Keep an eye out for updates. We may have some good news for you soon.
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