Travel Mode

RCMjr

If I understand it correctly, I will use Travel Mode to keep only to keep the 5, 10, 15 passwords I need while traveling and leave the other 100+ behind. Is the reason for doing this as a "just in case"? If I lose my device, someone cannot access all my password-protected information.

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1Password Version: 8.10.8
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: MacOS 13.4.1
Browser: Not Provided

GreyM1P

@RCMjr

Travel Mode is designed to temporarily remove specific vaults from your devices while you travel. It's to give you a kind of plausible deniability; if you were to be compelled to unlock your device to be searched at the border, for example, there would be no indication that anything had been hidden, because there's nothing in the 1Password apps to show that Travel Mode is turned on or off. With that in mind, make sure to remember to turn it back off when you get home!

If you lost your device, it was damaged, confiscated, or otherwise put out of commission, all your 1Password data on that device would still be protected by your account password.

You can think of it this way:

• your account password will decrypt the data that's on your device
• Travel Mode will limit how much of your data is actually kept on your device

I hope that helps explains it, but let me know if you have any questions. :)

— Grey

RCMjr

@GreyM1P

Thanks for this. I understand what you're telling me, and I have another question.

This morning, I started to set up a Travel Vault. As I went through my Logins, Notes, etc., I found that I was moving all of my sensitive information to the Travel Vault. I moved things like my bank account info, credit card, passport, Netflix, and driver's license. I didn't move my secondary credit card or work credit card, but I felt like I was moving a high percentage of my most personal items, ones I want to have with me while I'm traveling.

I guess I'm asking how you decide what to move and what to keep behind. I know it's a personal decision, but what would you suggest?

Chip

GreyM1P

@RCMjr

I guess I'm asking how you decide what to move and what to keep behind.

It might be an unhelpful answer, but ultimately it's entirely up to you! Everyone uses 1Password a little differently, so there isn't one good answer for everyone, but I can tell you how I use Travel Mode to give you some background, although I should note that this isn't an official recommendation. :)

My 1Password Families account is... let's say "busy". 😅 I have my own Private vault of course, and other vaults shared with (combinations of) other family members, such as a vault shared with my partner containing various home- and health-related items.

When travelling, I would usually only mark my Private vault as "safe for travel" so that those other vaults would be removed from my devices. At the very least, that would mean that if my device was searched, the only items that would be on my device would be related to me and only me, and no-one else in my family, which provides a level of compartmentalisation.

Additionally, I completely sign out of my 1Password Business account to make sure that a) none of my work-related items are on my devices (to maintain confidentiality), and b) if my device was searched, there wouldn't be anything to suggest that I work for 1Password. I'm very likely not going to be travelling to areas where that could influence officials' attitude to me, so that's not something I really have to worry about, but some folks might need to hide their employer for various reasons.

Our travel policy at 1Password requires removing company data from devices while travelling, and if you use 1Password at work, your company might do too.

How you decide to work with Travel Mode will be dependent on your specific use case with 1Password. It might take some experimentation, and it will also be worth thinking about what situations you're trying to guard against.

Also, consider where you might be travelling and what your interaction with border officials, law enforcement, and so on might be. Some jurisdictions will be able to compel you to unlock anything and everything to search, maybe even without a warrant, court order, or reasonable suspicion. In some cases, citizens may have different rights to foreign nationals, so that's worth examining too, but that takes us a little outside of the scope of the advice we can give you. At that point, that becomes a broader issue of safety and security while travelling and I know that in my case, I would consult official government-issued advice, just like I would for passport and visa requirements and matters like that.

I realise that this (long) answer doesn't provide advice for your specific use case, but just as it is with 1Password more generally, Travel Mode is a tool which you can choose to use however works best for you. :)

RCMjr

@GreyM1P,

The extended comment is appreciated. I was afraid you would stop at, "It's your choice." Having your use case is helpful, and I now know what I will do.

Thanks.

Chip

ag_tommy

On behalf of Grey, you're welcome and thank for your long standing support of the community @RCMjr

sdelvecchio

Can passwords removed from the device in Travel Mode still be accessed by logging into the 1Password.com website while traveling? Say I have a vault with 10 passwords I know I'll need while traveling and then discover "oops I forgot I need to access one that's not there"?

GreyM1P

@sdelvecchio

Yes, you can. Travel Mode only removes vaults from the 1Password apps on macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, and the browser extensions.

1Password.com will always show you all of your items.

ryandeng

Thank you for this thread, very helpful. This also answers my question regarding Travel Mode

ag_tommy

We're glad it helped @ryandeng If you have any questions feel free to ask.