Help: Family admin screw up his master password

ChrisBomba

Hi. Am new to 1Password for Families. Setup went great and I created accounts for myself and my wife. When I went to change master password, I somehow made identical mistakes typing it in and, unable to duplicate that mistake, can't get into my account. I gather I can use my wife's account to restore mine. Is that true? If so, can you provide directions. (I am the admin. Can we still fix it via her account? All our logins are in our shared vault, which should be a good thing. Yes? Thanks!!!!

Also, is there a way to make the master password visible (instead of bullets) when you type it so you can make sure you are typing it correctly? That would sure be useful when changing the password.

---

1Password Version: Not Provided
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: Not Provided
Sync Type: Not Provided

ChrisBomba

Me again. FYI, this is all on Macs with El Capitan. IOS on ipad and iphones.

nmott

Hi @ChrisBomba! I'm sorry to hear that you're having difficulty signing in to your 1Password account.

If your wife has been set up as a family organizer, she can help you recover your account by following these steps:

1. Signing in to her account on 1Password.com
2. Opening the Account menu in the top-right corner
3. Choosing Admin Console, then Family Members, then your account
4. Clicking the Begin Recovery button
5. Following the on-screen instructions

That will send you an email that begins the recovery process. From there you'll receive a new Account Key and asked to create a new Master Password. Then you can download the new Emergency Kit, fill out the Master Password form, then get it off your computer.

Let me know if that helps! :)

ChrisBomba

Thanks. It turns out that I did not mess up on my new password. I signed onto my 1password.com account just fine, the same for my iPhone. The new password does not, however, work on two different computers and my iPad. (That's why I thought I didn't have the right password as it was failing on most of my devices.) So what do I do? It isn't very good that a change in master password causes such a breakdown in the system.

ChrisBomba

Okay, I restored iPad by reinstalling the app and using the barcode to link it with my account. I assume that will work with computers, but what a pain! Will this happen whenever I change my password?
Also, now my iPad is registered twice on my family member page. How do I delete old one?
I must admit, this experience is beginning to sour me on the app.

nmott

So what do I do? It isn't very good that a change in master password causes such a breakdown in the system.

I know it feels like a breakdown in the system, but it's actually caused by the security features that make 1Password a safe place to keep your information. Your Master Password is used to encrypt your vaults, and 1Password uses the first vault connected to it to determine what Master Password it should use to unlock. This is part of the reason why we recommend that you don't change your Master Password -- it makes it so you have to either remember two Master Passwords or go through this process to use the new one.

Okay, I restored iPad by reinstalling the app and using the barcode to link it with my account. I assume that will work with computers, but what a pain! Will this happen whenever I change my password?

I'm glad you were able to get 1Password for iOS working on your iPad again. If you use your old Master Password on your Mac or PC you should be able to access your information. Just remove your 1Password account then re-add it (complete with new Master Password) and that should help make things a little easier. If it doesn't, we'll go through some other steps you can take to get everything switched.

Also, now my iPad is registered twice on my family member page. How do I delete old one?

We don't currently have a way to remove duplicate items from that page, but it's something we're aware of and working on.

I must admit, this experience is beginning to sour me on the app.

I'm sorry to hear that! We'll get everything set up the way you want :)

ChrisBomba

Dear nmott:
Thanks for this. I actually figured out the "first vault" password thing on my own before I got your post. I am thus up and running with the new password on all devices. I get how this a great security feature, but I think the interface could be less confusing, especially as the applications serve both the regular license and the families/teams subscription services. For instance, on the Preferences Security tab, whether there is a "Change Password" option depends upon what vault you happen to have selected in the main program at that time. In other words, that tab is specific to a vault without stating which vault it is. (Example: It doesn't say "Primary.") You have to look back at the main program to see which vault those security choices apply towards. That's not very smart or intuitive design.

In any case, thanks for your help.

nmott

It was my pleasure. We're currently working to improve the experience of using 1Password Families or 1Password Teams, which includes making the switch from using the standalone apps a little bit easier. 1Password spent a long time as a non-subscription service so there are bound to be some growing pains, but we're constantly looking to make things better, and appreciate your patience in the mean time :)