"Native" Chrome extension sidelined by 1Password X?

finwe
finwe
Community Member
in 1Password in the Browser

Hello,

I tried to install a native Chrome extension on a new M1 MacBook - the tray icon, when used in Chrome, showed the "Install Chrome extension" button which led to a page for 1Password X extension. After installing 1Password X, the tray icon kept showing the button (although the icon in the browser now could be used after login). I was unable to find native 1Password extension on Chrome Web Store unless I searched with external search engine. After that, I was able to install the extension and everything works as expected. Questions:

  • Is the native extension knowingly hidden in Chrome Web Store?
  • Are there perhaps plans to abandon the native extension?
  • Is the destination of the link of the button of the tray icon knowingly pointing to 1Password X? Will the behaviour be changed after installing 1Password X, so that the "install chrome extension" is not always shown regardless of the extension being installed?
  • Is this somehow linked with using M1 Macbook? I was unable to test this on other platforms.

Thanks for answers.

1Password Version: n/a
Extension Version: n/a
OS Version: MacOs Big Sur, M1 MacBook
Sync Type: n/a

Comments

  • ag_tommy
    ag_tommy
    edited February 2021

    @finwe

    The native extension is what I believe you are calling our renamed "classic" extension. The change to the classic extension name is very recent. It's likely the desktop apps have not been updated to reflect this change and you see old links. There are many places that will need updating.

    Our download page still has the options for those who wish to download the classic extension. https://support.1password.com/cs/1password-classic-extension/

  • finwe
    finwe
    Community Member

    Thanks for your reply even when it didn't actually answer any of my questions above. I am looking forward to actual answers.

  • ag_tommy
    ag_tommy

    @finwe

    I'm sorry I was not trying to ignore your questions. No, this is not related to the M1 in my estimation. The links have changed for accessing various support pages, and as such, the extension may not be readily shown on the store. I also have trouble finding it on occasion and just head over to our downloads page.

    The tray links as you describe them may change; who knows. I have not seen the revamped 1Password browser extension or whatever it is going to be called. Last year the Touch ID integration was removed for a code update. Perhaps it will include the ability to use the 1Password mini or tray. I am not a Windows guy, so I can only assume the tray is equal to the 1Password for Mac helper/mini. It's an unknown at this time for me. The development team is tightly lipped on the project.

  • finwe
    finwe
    Community Member

    Yes, tray is evidently not the term - I meant the icon on the top bar next to the system clock. The Menu Bar, as i now learn. I am a Windows guy, so I may not have the Mac terminology right. But I am addressing Mac version only in this thread.

    Yes, the classic extension helps the 1Password (helper/mini?) that is opened from the menu bar to communicate with the browser and fill directly to the open page.

    I now understand that not the link from the app changed, but the links to extensions on the intermediate page changed from the Classic extension to 1Password X.

    Anyway, I have pointed out a few confusing behaviours for me as a somewhat experienced user, I'd believe it would be in your interest to address them. If this confuses me, it will surely confuse a new user much more. The "The tray links as you describe them may change; who knows." is really not something one wants to hear from an official support channel of the product they pay for.

    I really cannot wrap my head around why would a development team be incommunicado against their own support or why would changes in one side of the same app environment be done without appropriate changes being done to the other sides.

    To address the unanswered question I had: should I worry about the Classic 1Password extension disappearing, or will there be an (albeit overworked) classic extension available for the forseeable future?

    I may describe my problems and worries a bit broadly, I will be happy to clarify.

    Thanks for your answers.

  • ag_tommy
    ag_tommy
    edited February 2021

    I only mean that as the product evolves, the links on our end could change. It's much the same as we have links that point to our update server, where a set of release notes reside. For example, you may use something like example.com/beta/latest/releasenotes. That beta link may be redirected to our update server, where the details you want are kept. This is completely seamless to the user.

    When accessing our Classic extension page, you may see. https://support.1password.com/cs/1password-classic-extension/ but when you visit the extension download page and click on the link, you're taken to the store at an address such as this: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/1password-extension-deskt/aomjjhallfgjeglblehebfpbcfeobpgk That link is not that user friendly in my opinion. The store could also change the download link and at that time would update our link to serve you the correct page you requested.

    In not sure what you mean about "incommunicado against their own support or why would changes in one side of the same app environment be done without appropriate changes being done to the other sides."

    Changes take time to roll out across the various apps we have. Not every team is on the same release cycle. We try to be on the same release schedule, but sometimes that's not practical, especially if you need to address an unforeseen issue. There are only so many hours in the day. In a perfect world, everything would be done instantaneously. The number of moving parts behind the scene is impressive. I could not understand it until I stepped behind the curtain, and then it was like WOW!!! I had no clue so much went into this.

    If the classic extension was not going to be around, I don't think the team would have laid the groundwork to ensure working links and the continued ability to download it. We have many people across a large assortment of OS's that still happily use the classic extension to this day.

  • finwe
    finwe
    Community Member
    edited March 2021

    Sorry for a long delay, I tend to forget conversations when not receiving e-mail notifications.

    I will try to describe the problem I have as simply as I can from the perspective of a new user who does not know what the difference between 1Password classic and 1 Password extensions is:

    • I install 1Password app.
    • When in browser, I click the icon on the Menu Bar
    • A button tells me to install a browser extension
    • On clicking, the browser opens https://1password.com/downloads/mac/#browsers
    • I install the extension under the Chrome logo, log in
    • I click the icon on the Menu Bar, the same button tells me to install a browser extension
    • I am super confused, I just did that

    The button should lead directly to the classic extension download page. Please, fix this.

    I take your word for it that the classic extension will remain available. But the small hints such as that 1 Password X is now named just 1 Password, the classic extension is not directly linked and hidden on a subpage, these all painfully remind me of other small favourite parts of my daily computer workflow that were gradually more and more hidden and then killed altogether.

This discussion has been closed.