How to migrate multiple vaults in on Mac 10.13.6 and iOS 12

AndrewML

I have used 1P for many years with licensed apps on Mac and iOS with DropBox sync most recently with 1P 6 on my three Macs. I have recommended 1P to many people. Today, the transition to 1P Family is not going well.

Primacy desktop iMac
I just signed up for 1P Family on my primary desktop iMac running HighSierra (10.13.6).

I have had three vaults: Primary (for me only) and Home (shared with wife) and Min (shared with another family member).

On my primary desktop iMac, I was not asked to migrate my existing vaults. I thought they had been migrated successfully. My old data is now visible online in 1P account, but new items I created on my iMac in the last hour since creating my Family account do not appear online.

When I check 1P 7 preferences on my iMac under sync it now shows with "None" and all my data is there in each vault "On My Mac".

When I select "Primary" vault and go to the Help menu and select Tools, "migrate standalone vaults to account" is greyed out. On this primary iMac, I have two vaults under my "Family name" and three vaults "On My Mac".

MacBookAir
Then I moved to my MacBookAir, also on HighSierra, there I was asked to migrate vaults. It took a long time and eventually gave me a failure message. On the MacBookAir, I see the same two vaults under "Family Name" and three vaults under "On My Mac." 1P 7 preferences under sync now shows with "None". New items created on iMac are not syncing to MacBookAir. On my MacBookAir, when I select "Primary" vault and go to the Help menu and select Tools, "migrate standalone vaults to account" is greyed out. The same is true for my other two "On My Mac" vaults.

Help for desktop Macs
So first I need help to migrate my existing vaults on my iMac and my MacBookAir.

Help for iOS
The same issue exists on my iPhone and iPad mini. I was not asked to migrate my vaults.

Online help states "If you have more than one vault, 1Password won’t ask to move your data to your new account. Learn how to move your items manually." The instructions for moving items manually is not at all clear to me. Maybe this will become more clear once my desktop Macs are syncing 1P data.

---

1Password Version: 7.4
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: 10.13.6 and iOS 12
Sync Type: Family Account

AndrewML

After thinking about this for the last hour, I took some additional steps.

I created three new vaults under "Family Name" with names parallel to my three vaults "On my Mac".
Then I went into the "Primary" vault "On my Mac" selected all items and dragged them to the new "Primary" vault under "Family Name."
Then I did the same for the other vaults. These new "On my Mac" vaults are synchronizing on all my devices.
Now I can delete the old "On my Mac" vaults.

I suggest that for those with multiple vaults there needs to be some updated instructions.

Ben

Hi @AndrewML

I'm sorry to hear about the frustration.

I suggest that for those with multiple vaults there needs to be some updated instructions.

I don't believe that is correct anymore. Could you please point me to where you saw that? The migration guide I'm looking at now says:

If 1Password doesn’t ask you to migrate your data:

Choose Vault menu > Switch to Vault, and select a vault in your new account.
Choose Help > Tools > Migrate Standalone Vaults to Account.

Note: this is why that option was grayed out for you — you have to have a vault within the account (e.g. "Personal") selected.

Ben

AndrewML

Thank you for your reply.

I did select one of my vaults from "On My Mac" and that is when I encountered the greyed out option in Migrate Standalone Vaults to Account.

Or do you mean that I have to first create a new vault in my 1P Family account area that I want to migrate a previous DropBox synced vault to? And then I am to start by selecting the new and empty vault in 1P Family account area?

I have other questions about the migration process but will add those later today.

Ben

I did select one of my vaults from "On My Mac" and that is when I encountered the greyed out option in Migrate Standalone Vaults to Account.

Right; sorry for the confusion: that's the problem. You have to select a vault in your account, not one "on [your] Mac," in order for this option to be available.

Or do you mean that I have to first create a new vault in my 1P Family account area that I want to migrate a previous DropBox synced vault to? And then I am to start by selecting the new and empty vault in 1P Family account area?

You don't have to create a new vault in 1Password Families, but would have to select a vault in 1Password Families.

This is all moot if you already moved your data to your account, which it sounds like you did.

Thank you for your reply.

You're welcome.

Ben

AndrewML

As I get ready to help my family members migrate their DropBox vaults to a new 1P Family set of vaults I am seeking clarity.

1. Migration
I had three vaults synced via DropBox before my 1P Family account.
Primary (for me only) and Home (shared with wife) and Min (shared with another family member).

If I started by selecting "Private" under A's Family and then
Choose Help > Tools > Migrate Standalone Vaults to Account.
would all three former vaults (Primary, Home and Min) end up mixed together?

How do I retain these as distinct vaults in A's Family?

Each of my two other family members has two vaults synced by DropBox.
One is unique to each of them. The other is shared with me.
How do I migrate their pairs of vaults and keep them separate?

2. 1P Family and deleting old Primary vault
Regarding my set of vaults, the old "Primary" vault "On My Mac" is now empty as all the data has been moved to "Private" under A's Family.
When I go to delete this now empty vault I receive a warning that I am about to delete my Primary vault.
Is it safe to do this?
Will the password I use locally to unlock my various vaults will remain the same?

Ben

Hi @AndrewML

I'm sorry for the delay in getting a response out to you.

If I started by selecting "Private" under A's Family and then
Choose Help > Tools > Migrate Standalone Vaults to Account.
would all three former vaults (Primary, Home and Min) end up mixed together?

No; they'll each be migrated as a separate vault. The contents of Primary will be migrated to Private, and then each other vault will end up in their own respective vault of the same name.

How do I migrate their pairs of vaults and keep them separate?

This is the default.

Is it safe to do this?

As long as you know the Master Password for your 1Password.com account it is not only safe but highly recommended.

Will the password I use locally to unlock my various vaults will remain the same?

You'd unlock the 1Password apps using your 1Password account password.

Ben

AndrewML

I asked: "Will the password I use locally to unlock my various vaults will remain the same?"

You replied: "You'd unlock the 1Password apps using your 1Password account password."

I have been unlocking my 1Password apps using a 9 character PW.
If I understand what you wrote, deleting my prior "Primary" vault will eliminate the use of that 9 char PW.
Going forward I would need to enter the 17 character 1Password account PW.
That seems inconvenient on my desktop Macs. 6 more characters to type multiple times per day.

Maybe I will just leave the old Primary vault empty so I can make use of the 9 character PW.

Ben

Maybe I will just leave the old Primary vault empty so I can make use of the 9 character PW.

I would recommend against that, but it is certainly your prerogative.

Going forward I would need to enter the 17 character 1Password account PW.

1Password.com requires a minimum of 10 character Master Passwords. Longer is better but if this is a major stumbling block for you I see many less headaches caused by 10-character Master Passwords than keeping a Primary vault kicking around.

6 more characters to type multiple times per day.

You could also consider adjusting how often 1Password locks:

How to set 1Password to lock automatically

This would probably be the best of both worlds: delete the Primary vault, use the longer Master Password, but adjust auto-locking to a less annoying interval.

Ben

AndrewML

Thank you, Ben.

After reflection, I followed your suggestion. I deleted my primary vault and switched to using the new Master Password.

Ben

Glad to hear it. :) If we can be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Ben