How to import 1p4_zip backup from 1Password 6 into a specific vault in 1Password 7

david12345
david12345
Community Member
edited November 2021 in Mac

Hi, I finally upgraded from 1 Password 6 to the cloud-based 1 Password 7. Everything seems to be working. I've searched this forum and I can't seem to how to do the following:

  • I have 1p4_zip backup files created using 1Password 6 going back several years.
  • I want to restore some of those older 1p4_zip backup files into a separate vault so that I do not mess up my current up to date vault. This is so that I can look at older passwords that I deleted before.

I cannot find a way to do this. This is what I see from the import menu when I choose import from 1password6. I cannot change vaults:

And this is what I see if I choose import from "Other". Here is a way to choose the vault, but there's no way to select a 1p4_zip file there. I can only select CSV and 1pif.

Is there a workaround for this? 1 password 6 was a standalone product. I can restore to the data version I want by switching to an older backup file, looking at the items I'm interested in, and then switching back to the latest data file. I can do all this without having to worry about complicated data merging because every "restore" is treated as a fresh start with whatever backup file I choose.

Can I achieve something like this with 1Password 7?

Update:

I just saw that there's a menu to migrate standalone vaults to account. But it's grayed out. I cannot use it because supposedly my account has already been migrated.


1Password Version: 7.9.1
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: MacOS 11.6

Comments

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni

    Hi @david12345!

    I don't think you can select a vault to import, but all the item you import will be tagged with the date and time of the import. So even if they all end up in the same place, you can click on the tag to access these items, which you can move to another vault if you wish:

    Move and copy items

  • david12345
    david12345
    Community Member

    Hi, I did some more searching and found a way to do this. These are the two posts that I followed:

    I first had to enable local vaults in Preferences > Advanced. And then used the File > Restore to restore the old 1p4_zip file. It does work but I think you should improve this process.

    Whenever I restore to the local vault, 1Password closes and when I reopen it, the online account actually disappears! That scared me for a few moments. I then added my online account back and it was able to restore the current vault from your servers.

    Can you file feature request for your engineer team? Restoring a backup file to the local vault should NOT remove the main vault that's tied to the cloud. It should restore to the local vault.

  • @david12345,

    Restoring from a backup always replaces the entirety of the local and account databases with what was inside of the zip archive. I'd recommend moving your existing ~/Library/Group Container/2BUA8C4S2C.com.agilebits aside when you restore from the backup, then export the items you care about to 1pif or csv, or turn on file sync for those standalone vaults your want to port over from the backup to your actual data (and then move that group container folder back into place for that import/double click of opvault).

  • david12345
    david12345
    Community Member

    @rudy

    what I just described is not a one time procedure as part of an upgrade. Please understand the user journey here. The nature of backup files and exports is that they're saved somewhere locally on my hard drive. And I backup those backup files to Google Drive or Amazon S3. And the way people use 1Password is not only to store passwords but also store encrypted notes and other files.

    People clean up and delete notes and files. The "current state" that's saved to 1Password.com is fine. But there will be a need to go back to prior versions just because I want to restore and see prior version of notes or files saved within a 1Password vault. This is the nature of backup files. There is always a need to go back in time and restore backups as necessary.

    Given that 1Password started out using only local vaults and this cloud based vault is a new thing, there are a lot of users who are in a similar situation as me. We have backups files going back years and we periodically we need to restore prior vaults to look into old versions of files and notes.

    An alternative to achieve this is to allow 1Password 6 and 1Password 7 to run on the same machine. I can use 1Password 6 to restore old backups and look at them and export them. And use 1Password 7 to keep the running current vault. Is this a way to do this? When I installed 1Password 7, it overwrote 1Password 6. So I'm afraid of installing 1Password 6 now. It might wipe out 1Password 7 and I have to start all over again.

  • david12345
    david12345
    Community Member

    @rudy what I just described is not a one time event done as part of an upgrade. Please understand the user journey here.

    1Password is not used just to store login/passwords. People store notes and files inside it. And the nature of notes and files is that we need to look at prior notes and backups as they're edited and change over time. And because of this there will always be a need to see/restore prior versions.

    1Password started out as using local vaults and backup files. A lot of users have backup files going back years. I'm not the only person in this situation. And because of this, there will be a need to repeat this restore local vault procedure multiple times as the need to see prior versions come up.

    Another way to achieve this is to allow running 1Password 6 on same time machine as 1Password 7. That way I can use 1Password 6 to restore older 1p4_zip backup files as necessary and keeping it completely isolated from 1Password 7. But when I installed 1Password 7, it actually overwrote 1Password 6. So I'm afraid of installing 1Password 6 on my mac now. It might wipe out 1Password 7 and I have to restart all over again.

    Is there a way to install and run 1Password 6 and run it to manage local vaults after I installed 1Password 7?

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni

    @david12345:

    1Password is not used just to store login/passwords. People store notes and files inside it. And the nature of notes and files is that we need to look at prior notes and backups as they're edited and change over time. And because of this there will always be a need to see/restore prior versions.

    You might want to consider the backup and restore capabilities of 1Password.com, if you find yourself having to restore previous versions of items all the time:

    View and restore previous versions of items

    But when I installed 1Password 7, it actually overwrote 1Password 6

    When you install 1Password 7, the old 1Password 6 app is zipped in your Applications folder. It should not be removed. But even if it is, you can just install it again, since that is just the actual app, your data is stored in a separate folder on your hard drive.

    Is there a way to install and run 1Password 6 and run it to manage local vaults after I installed 1Password 7?

    I wonder if there is a reason why you would not want to manage your local vault directly inside 1Password 7?

  • michaelpearce
    michaelpearce
    Community Member

    Can anyone tell me/reassure me that if I upgrade from my stand alone version 6 of 1Password to the web-based version 7 (and thus overwriting v6) that I will definitely be able to log in to v7 using the password I used in v6?
    I am 98% certain the answer is that I will be able to do so but I am absolutely paranoid about potentially losing access to something that, I now realise, effectively allows me to run my day-to-day life.

  • michaelpearce
    michaelpearce
    Community Member

    Can anyone tell me/reassure me that if I upgrade from my stand alone version 6 of 1Password to the web-based version 7 (and thus overwriting v6) that I will definitely be able to log in to v7 using the password I used in v6?
    I am 98% certain the answer is that I will be able to do so but I am absolutely paranoid about potentially losing access to something that, I now realise, effectively allows me to run my day-to-day life.

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni
    edited November 2021
This discussion has been closed.