Why is Safari able to create a strong password in a field, but not 1Password?

abdc2019
abdc2019
Community Member
in 1Password in the Browser

Greetings!
New user here, and I'm updating all my banking passwords using 1Password's password generator (Yay!), but on almost every banking site, when I'm trying to change the password and click "Fill" to fill in the new super long random generated password, it doesn't work.

Not only that, but also adding insult to injury, Safari then pops up with a message in the new password field to suggest I use their "Strong Password" and it has no problems filling in the fields. Screenshot below.

What gives 1Password? Why is this so?

1Password Version: Not Provided
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: Not Provided
Sync Type: Not Provided

Comments

  • abdc2019
    abdc2019
    Community Member

    Just experienced this on Amazon as well.

  • littlebobbytables
    littlebobbytables
    1Password Alumni

    Hello @abdc2019,

    If you 1Password is not filling a password field with the Password Generator on Amazon something definitely isn't right. We'll need some details to start and we can take it from there. Can you tell me.

    1. Is this macOS or Windows?
    2. What version of 1Password do you have installed?
    3. What version of the 1Password extension do you have installed?
    4. What is your preferred browser?

    There could be more questions afterwards but these will help shape the troubleshooting we need to do.

  • abdc2019
    abdc2019
    Community Member
    edited January 2019

    Hello,
    Thanks for your quick reply!

    1. MacOS Mojave 10.14.2
    2. Version 7.2.4
    3. Version 7.2.4
    4. Safari

    I think I uncovered a part of the issue, although this behavior varies based on the site I'm trying to change my password on. A number of banking sites, won't let me autofill a new password from the password generator no matter what. Let me know your thoughts.

    Scenario 1
    1. I have to input my current password. Safari Autofill prompts me to select the password I already have saved in Safari, so I select that and Safari autofills it.

    1. I then click the Safari 1password extension, go to Password Generator, and click "Fill". This fills the "Current Password" instead of the "New password" field.

    Scenario 2

    1. I have to input my current password. Safari Autofill prompts me to select the password I already have saved in Safari, so I select that and Safari autofills it.

    2. I then move cursor to the "New Password" field and click the Safari 1password extension, go to Password Generator, and click "Fill". This accurately fills in the new, securely generated password into the New Field.

    As I mentioned above, behavior varies. Should I not be using Safari autofill of my current password, with 1Password? Or is there something else potentially happening? It seems like there could be a potential issue using Safari Autofill, as that would prompt Safari to suggest a strong password. Perhaps this conflicts with 1password trying to do it's job. I read on 1password that you can keep both Safari passwords and 1password running at the same time. What is the best practice?

  • littlebobbytables
    littlebobbytables
    1Password Alumni

    Hi @abdc2019,

    Whilst ultimately we do recommend disabling any built in filling coming from the browser to the best of my knowledge it shouldn't affect as you change passwords. We also do realise that to migrate all the data stored in the browser will mean using it at least once and having 1Password prompt to save when it sees unknown credentials before you can consider disabling the browser's autofill feature.

    I do recommend filling any field for the current password first though. Regardless of what version of 1Password you have it tends to help when you go to use the Password Generator. With 1Password 7.1.2 and earlier the Password Generator used a very simple but I found effective approach, just fill any empty password field with the generated password. Dumb but effective and if you had already filled the current password field all that are left are the new password fields unless it's a really weird site.

    1Password 7.2 did see some changes but using Amazon as an example again, I find it only fills the two fields for the new password even if I haven't yet filled the current password field. So far the only way I can reproduce your scenario 1 is if I fill with a Login item. Now I'm testing a private nightly build but the filling logic I believe is identical.

This discussion has been closed.