1Password Apple Watch Unlock and Desktop Macs [Secure Enclave Required]
I just read about the 7.7 update bringing Apple Watch unlock to Secure Enclave Macs. I’ve ordered a Mac mini with M1. This has a Secure Enclave but no Touch ID sensor. I assume since Secure Enclave is the hardware requirement according to the blog post about the update this feature I and others have requested will work on these Macs. Is that correct, because one of the screenshots in the blog post makes me wonder if that is true or not? I highly hope this is the case. 1Password is THE most significant thing I want the Apple Watch unlock to work with it doesn’t yet (until now) do so, and the main reason I’m a little sad to not have Touch ID. If my assumption that this will work with Mac mini M1 is incorrect, please figure out how to add this feature where Secure Enclave is but Touch ID is not. ...From a loyal user of your software for at least the past decade.
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Comments
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Awesome! Looking forward to this. Thanks for another reason to look forward to the new Mac.
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I just updated today, I have macOS Big Sur and Apple Watch (use it to unlock the computer and other apps) but 1Password is not giving me the option.
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what mac are you using currently?
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Hey Rudy, iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014)
Thanks!
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Unfortunately your iMac isn't one of the supported for this feature: https://support.1password.com/apple-watch-mac/#get-help
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Thanks for your reply and your quick help!
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On behalf of Rudy, you're welcome! The key thing is that the Mac has to have Secure Enclave hardware, which generally wasn't included in desktop Macs until fairly recently.
Ben
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Which is a great pity – even HomeBanking apps allow Apple Watch to unlog on Macs without Secure Enclave. Why did you implement this additional layer if I may ask?
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The Secure Enclave offers additional security beyond what the macOS keychain provides. Keep in mind, when you're unlocking 1Password you're not just opening the app, you're also decrypting all your 1Password data. We feel the sensitive nature of storing your passwords and other important information warrants the use of the additional security provided by the Secure Enclave.
Ben
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Thank you for your quick response, Ben. However, the same holds true for HomeBanking apps – the data are encrypted and are decrypted when logging in and using the app. That happens no matter whether you log in via regular Password input or a signal from AppleWatch. Basically you are now adding another layer of security to 1Password which isn't there when using the classic Password procedure (otherwise a Mac with T1/T2/M1 chip would be a min req to use 1Password at all).
Thus my question stands: Why did you implement this additional layer if I may ask? Thank you!0 -
I believe I've answered why we did. I'm sorry I don't have more to add. I really wouldn't be in a position to comment on why others have not.
Ben
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Perfectly evasive! ;-) Don't mean to be trolling, but I did not ask why others do what they do ...
No matter - I would like to kindly ask the 1Password Team to remove this requirement so that the majority of Mac Users which don't own a new machine can also enjoy this fine feature! Thank you!0 -
@Ben @Marcus_J 1Password is first and foremost a security software offering. As such it would be very inappropriate for AgileBits to not use the best security features possible. So I kindly ask that they always select the best security practices possible--even if it is inconvenient for users of older equipment.
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Shoot, I guess this leaves my 2017 MacBook Pro out since it doesn't have the touch bar.
So close. :)
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I certainly can empathize. I primarily work on a 2015 iMac that still runs great, and so it is hard to justify an upgrade. But it doesn't have a Secure Enclave, and so I can't unlock 1Password on it using my Apple Watch. That said, our team feels that utilizing the Secure Enclave is the only way we can safely offer this feature, and so the requirement will not be going away. I apologize to those who will not (yet) be able to take advantage because of that fact. The choice was use Secure Enclave or offer no Apple Watch unlock at all.
Ben
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When I saw this thread, I was afraid it would answer my question about 7.7. It did. 2019 iMac lacks the required hardware. I had not expected obsolescence so soon after buying a new machine. ;) Anyway, thanks for the information. I can stop wondering about my-no-longer-new, quite a bit less than one year old iMac. Sigh.
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I just set up my new Mac mini 2020 and the Apple Watch unlock is not working. When I click on "set Up Apple Watch" in preferences it takes me to the Mac Security & Privacy preference pane which is already set up to "Use Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac". I have tried unchecking and checking that feature but no matter what I do I never get the option to unlock 1P with my watch. I have the latest versions of everything.
When I set it up on my 2017 MBP, it asked me for my master password and never took me to preferences.
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yes
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It seems to think my Apple Watch is not set up for some reason.
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Ok....I rebooted and then the "unlock using Apple Watch" magically appeared. I uncheck and checked it and magically it is working.
I have been working with computers for 40 years but I still forget to do the old "did you try a reboot?"
GRRRR
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Hi, I'm using Macbook pro 2017 (non-touchbar), does it support unlock by apple watch?
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It shouldn't actually show it if your machine lacks a secure enclave, can you send a diagnostic report into support? I'd be curious why its presenting for you. If you follow the instructions there https://support.1password.com/diagnostics/
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