1Password v8.10.4 inconsistent with unlocking using Apple Watch

Thorz
Thorz
Community Member
edited May 2023 in Apple Watch

Hello

I have been using Apple Watch to unlock the 1P app since I installed it some months ago. I am finding it very inconsistent. At times it works as expected and I get prompted to double click my Apple Watch button to unlock the 1P app, but many times I don't get offered the option to unlock with Apple Watch, the AW icon doesn't show at the end of the 1P password field and I have to write my master password to unlock the app. I have noticed that this happens especially after my Macbook Pro has been asleep for some time. Apple Watch works perfectly unlocking the Mac after waking from sleep every time, but I go immediately to the 1P app and it just doesn't register the Apple Watch to unlock. If I unlock the app using the master password and then manually lock the app again using CMD+SHIFT+L I immediately get offered the option to unlock 1P with Apple Watch again.

Why is the feature for unlocking with Apple Watch so inconsistent?

I am using:
Intel Macbook Pro 2019
macOS Ventura v13.3.1 (a)
Apple Watch Series 6 celular
watchOS v9.4
1Password app v8.10.4

Thank you.

1Password Version: 8.10.4
Extension Version: 2.10.0
OS Version: macOS 13.3.1 (a)
Browser:_ Chrome

Comments

  • Dave_1P
    Dave_1P

    Hello @Thorz! 👋

    I'm sorry that you're having trouble using your Apple Watch to unlock 1Password. If you also use Touch ID then, when the Apple Watch option isn't presented are you still able to use Touch ID to unlock 1Password instead? Or are you forced to enter your account password?

    Can you also check to see how often 1Password will require that you enter your account password into the app:

    1. Open and unlock 1Password for Mac.
    2. Click on 1Password next to the  in the menu bar.
    3. Click on Settings.
    4. Click on Security.
    5. What is "Require password" set to?

    Even with Apple Watch unlock enabled you'll still need to enter your account password into the app every 2 weeks if "Require password" is set to "Every 2 weeks".

    I look forward to hearing from you.

    -Dave

  • Thorz
    Thorz
    Community Member

    @Dave_1P

    It's set to "Every 2 weeks"

    Thank you

  • Dave_1P
    Dave_1P
    edited May 2023

    @Thorz

    Thank you for the reply. Just to confirm: are you being asked for your account password more often than every 2 weeks? The time frame isn't quite clear in your original description of the issue.

    I have noticed that this happens especially after my Macbook Pro has been asleep for some time.

    This sounds similar to an issue with macOS that our developers are working with Apple to resolve. The next time that you're unable to unlock 1Password using your Apple Watch after waking your Macbook from sleep can you please try the following test:

    1. Click on the  in the menu bar.
    2. Click System Settings.
    3. Click Privacy & Security.
    4. Click Advanced.
    5. As a temporary troubleshooting step, turn on "Log out automatically after inactivity".
    6. You'll now see a macOS system prompt asking you to confirm the action. You should receive a double-tap notification on your Apple Watch.

    Are you able to use the Apple Watch to authenticate the macOS system prompt? Once this test is complete you can turn off "Log out automatically after inactivity" if you wish.

    -Dave

    ref: dev/core/core#18393

  • Thorz
    Thorz
    Community Member

    @Dave_1P

    are you being asked for your account password more often than every 2 weeks?

    Yes indeed. It happens almost every day, but it is inconsistent as I have written before. During the same day, there are times when I can unlock 1P completely fine with the Apple Watch but after some minutes/hours I don't get the option to unlock the app with the AW. Auto-lock on the app settings is set to 2 minutes if that information helps in any way.

    As a temporary troubleshooting step, turn on "Log out automatically after inactivity".

    I will try this later today the next time 1P doesn't show me the AW icon to unlock the app and will report back on this thread.

    Some more info that I can add is that my Mac is configured to lock itself down and ask for authentication after 4 minutes of inactivity, 1 minute after the screen saver activates.

    Thank you for your assistance.

  • Dave_1P
    Dave_1P

    @Thorz

    Thank you for the additional details. Let me know the result of the troubleshooting test that I described above and we can go from there. 🙂

    -Dave

  • Thorz
    Thorz
    Community Member

    @Dave_1P

    I have tried what you suggested. Here are my notes about this:

    1. Turning on "Log out automatically after inactivity" after 1P didn't let me use the Apple Watch for unlocking indeed worked to fix the issue, but only 1 time. It looks like when macOS ask for authentication with the Apple Watch after enabling this option under advanced security settings, the issue with 1P not unlocking gets corrected and the 1P app can now access Apple Watch for unlocking. There are some important things to point out about this:
    2. This process of enabling "Log out automatically after inactivity" to force recognition of the Apple Watch for authentication can only be used one time per login session. Once you have done this 1 time the next time you try to do this you don't get an Apple Watch authentication prompt anymore from the macOS settings. This happens because you have already approved this setting one time with your Apple Watch during your current login session. The switch can now be toggled on or off without needing extra authentication from Apple Watch. If you want to be asked again for Apple Watch authentication you have to log out and log in again. I have not tried locking and unlocking the macOS or waiting a long period of time to see if this setting asks again for AW authentication.
    3. I have found another way to enable the 1P app to use Apple Watch for unlocking if it has lost the ability to do it. This way can be used to correct the issue several times under the same login session:

    a. Click on the  in the menu bar.
    b. Click System Settings.
    c. Click Touch ID & Password
    d. Under Apple Watch: Use Apple Watch to unlock your applications and your Mac: Disable the toggle for your Apple Watch. Then wait some seconds.
    e. Enable again the toggle for your Apple Watch. You will see a brief "syncing" message under your Apple Watch name.

    After doing this the 1P app will let you again use Apple Watch for unlocking.

    I have to say that this process is far from perfect. Apple Watch unlocking works as expected on all macOS settings without the need for any of these cumbersome workarounds.

    Unlocking with Apple Watch is the only thing that made a bit more bearable the lacking of a master password or biometric reprompt (double verification) for eligible items in 1P, a feature offered by all the other big password managers out there. Because it was so easy and convenient to unlock 1P with Apple Watch I could reduce the time the 1P app auto-locks to 2 minutes after the computer is idle to keep the most important items in my vault away from prying eyes. The fact that the integration between 1P and Apple Watch is so inconsistent today is extremely frustrating.

  • Dave_1P
    Dave_1P

    @Thorz

    Thank you for the reply. To clarify, turning on "Log out automatically after inactivity" was just a way to trigger a macOS system prompt so that we could see if your Apple Watch still worked with that. If your Apple Watch didn't work with the macOS system prompt then it would tell us that the issue affects all of macOS and not just 1Password. I wasn't suggesting using "Log out automatically after inactivity" as a workaround or solution for the issue.

    Since you are able to use your Apple Watch to authenticate the macOS system prompt we'll need to dig deeper to see what might be going wrong with the unlock process on the 1Password side of things. I'd like to ask you to reproduce the issue one more time and then create a diagnostics report from your Mac:

    Sending Diagnostics Reports (Mac)

    Attach the diagnostics to an email message addressed to support+forum@1password.com.

    With your email please include:

    The report will be in zip format. Please send the entire file.

    You should receive an automated reply from our BitBot assistant with a Support ID number. Please post that number here. Thanks very much!

    -Dave

  • Thorz
    Thorz
    Community Member

    @Dave_1P

    Here's the support number:
    [#JFU-86891-384]

    Thank you.

  • andrew.l_1P
    andrew.l_1P

    Thanks @Thorz, I can confirm we've received your email. We'll take a look and reply to you there as soon as possible. 🙂

    ref: JFU-86891-384

  • Thorz
    Thorz
    Community Member

    Hello
    I updated today to macOS Ventura v13.4 and watchOS v9.5 which after Apple's release notes supposedly addressed problems with the Apple Watch integration in macOS. Sadly 1Password continues to work unreliably at using the AW for unlocking. One minute the 1P app doesn't unlock with the watch and the next one the unlocking function works just fine. Other apps work without any problem using the Apple Watch to unlock access.

  • Dave_1P
    Dave_1P

    @Thorz

    I'm sorry that the update to macOS and watchOS didn't resolve the issue. I would recommend following up with our support team over email if you do have any other questions since they'll be in the best position in assist as they have access to your diagnostics report. To prevent having the same conversation in two places at once I'm closing this thread.

    -Dave

    ref: JFU-86891-384

This discussion has been closed.