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[newbie] need secret key, stuck in loop

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mikewill222
mikewill222
Community Member
edited May 27 in Memberships

I set up a new account yesterday. Today, I want to log in and every method, everywhere, requires my secret key. It seems that all methods for getting my secret key require that I log in. Help please? This is so basic, it seems I must be missing something. Hate to dump the program because of this. :(

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  • Tertius3
    Tertius3
    Community Member
    edited May 25
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    While creating your account, you're offered to save an "emergency kit", this is a pdf where a copy of the secret key is stored. Open that pdf to get the secret key.

    In case you didn't save the emergency kit, go to the device and app where you created the account. The app you used for account creation is still signed in. You just need to enter your email address and password.

    Keep in mind there is a process called "signing in" and a different process called "unlock". Signing in is required if you're using 1Password with one of its apps on some device for the first time. Signing in requires the secret key, account password and email address.
    Once you're signed in, you stay signed in until you explicitly sign out or uninstall that app or delete its local data. On a signed in device, 1Password is locked until you unlock it. To unlock, you just need your email address and password, no secret key.

    It's expected workflow you never sign out from a device but always just unlock 1Password, so you always only need your password and email address to unlock. 1Password locks automatically after a short time of inactivity or on machine sleep or reboot, so 1Password is usually locked most of the time and your data is save even on a signed in device.

    In case you signed out from that app where you created the account and you are not signed in with any other device, you need the secret key to sign in again. In case you didn't store the secret key anywhere, your account is lost. You're unable to access it any more. You can consult the 1Password support and ask them to delete your account, so you're able to create a new one.

    And in case you found some still signed in device and app, locate the login entry for 1Password (it's automatically created by 1Password). As far as I remember, it also contains the secret key. Copy it and save it on some secure location outside of 1Password. Consider printing it.

    Also see https://support.1password.com/secret-key/

  • mikewill222
    mikewill222
    Community Member
    Options

    Thanks, T. Appreciate the explanation. I may have signed out from device #1 without creating the emergency kit. It's in another location, semi-public, so that's very possible. I'll go back and do a search.

  • ag_tommy
    ag_tommy
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    @mikewill222

    If you'd like to start over please email my colleagues on the email support team using support+forum@1password.com. Be sure to use the email address tied to the account in question.