Master Password? Account Password? I'm confused...

markbot
markbot
Community Member

Hey folks,

Is the information here still good:

https://discussions.agilebits.com/discussion/91039/master-password-vs-account-password

Is there still a difference between a master password and an account password?

One thing I don't understand is when I set up my account on my iPhone, the password to unlock 1Password didn't change to my master password. It stayed the same as it was when I was using 1Password standalone.

Do you have to change it manually, i.e., by typing or copying it in?

Thank you,

--Mark


1Password Version: 7.4.3
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: macOS 10.14.6
Sync Type: 1Password Account

Comments

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni

    Hi @markbot! Welcome to the forum!

    That depends on how you use 1Password. In most cases, the account password is your Master Password. In others (like yours, coming from a standalone app), it might be different, if you decided to choose a different password for your 1Password account when you signed up for it.

    The way 1Password unlocks is:

    • If a Primary vault exists, then it unlocks using the Master Password for that vault, regardless of what, if any, memberships are signed in
    • If a single 1Password membership is signed in, then it unlocks using the Master Password for that membership account
    • If multiple memberships are signed in, then it unlocks using the Master Password of the first added membership

    These are each exclusive scenarios. For example, if multiple memberships are signed in, you cannot unlock 1Password using the Master Password of the second account that was added.

    If you are using a 1Password membership we generally recommend removing the Primary vault, so your 1Password app will unlock with your new Master Password, and not with the old one.

  • markbot
    markbot
    Community Member

    Ah, I think I get it now. ('Tis confusing though)

    Let me see if I have this right:

    So if you've set up a membership/account* with a NEW PASSWORD (different from the old one that unlocked 1Password standalone), and you keep the PRIMARY (old) vault in 1Password (as I was advised to do initially), it is the PRIMARY vault (old) password that will remain in effect--

    --until you DELETE THE PRIMARY vault or change the PRIMARY account password (manually) to the NEW PASSWORD.

    It appears that once you DELETE THE PRIMARY VAULT, the NEW PASSWORD becomes THE ONE. (The one that unlocks 1Password.)

    This seems to be the behavior that I've observed.

    On my iPhone I finally realized there were TWO places to change passwords:

    1) /Settings/Accounts/Change Password

    2) /Settings/Security/Change Master Password

    This was MIGHTILY CONFUSING, until I DELETED THE PRIMARY account, and option 2 became greyed out.

    Am I understanding things correctly now?

    TIA,

    --Mark

    *Are the terms "membership" and "account" more or less synonymous? Or can a membership have more than one account?

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni

    @markbot:

    So if you've set up a membership/account* with a NEW PASSWORD (different from the old one that unlocked 1Password standalone), and you keep the PRIMARY (old) vault in 1Password (as I was advised to do initially), it is the PRIMARY vault (old) password that will remain in effect--

    Correct!

    --until you DELETE THE PRIMARY vault or change the PRIMARY account password (manually) to the NEW PASSWORD.

    Also correct.

    It appears that once you DELETE THE PRIMARY VAULT, the NEW PASSWORD becomes THE ONE. (The one that unlocks 1Password.)

    Also correct :)

    This was MIGHTILY CONFUSING, until I DELETED THE PRIMARY account, and option 2 became greyed out.
    Am I understanding things correctly now?

    Yes :) The reason for this is that you could have more than one account, and a standalone vault. In that case, you would need two different places to change your Master Password (one inside each of the account settings, and one for the main 1Password app). Because in your case you had both things, you had two options to do it, depending on which Master Password you wanted to change :)

    *Are the terms "membership" and "account" more or less synonymous? Or can a membership have more than one account?

    They are the same thing :)

  • markbot
    markbot
    Community Member

    OMG...

    I think I get it now.

    I think I'm gonna cry.

    Thank you for being so patient with me. This is sort of like therapy, where you have to "work through" your issues, usually repeatedly, until the murk dissipates.

    Honestly, I don't think I'll quite understand the business of multiple accounts and standalone vaults until I actually go the process of setting them up and using them (which I don't think I'll ever really need to do).

    But you never know.

    If I need more 1Password therapy, I'll be back.

    :-)

    Best,

    --Mark

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni

    @markbot, you are very welcome!

    Honestly, I don't think I'll quite understand the business of multiple accounts and standalone vaults until I actually go the process of setting them up and using them (which I don't think I'll ever really need to do).

    I think it helps if you think about a 1Password account like an email account: you can have multiple email addresses, but on your phone you use all of them inside the same app :)

    And absolutely, if you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out anytime, you are always welcome for some 1Password therapy :D

    Have a wonderful day :)

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