How do I open a local vault on MacOS

hamza
hamza
Community Member

Sorry if this is obvious but I really can't see how to do it.

I recently moved over completely to MacOS from Windows 10. Previously on Windows 10 I used 1Password with a 1Password family subscription which a few 1P cloud based vaults. However I also have a local vault stored on windows 10 machine and synced to local network storage.

I have installed 1Password from the Mac App Store (running Big Sur, fully up to date on app and OS). I can't seem to find a way to open this local vault (which I have copied onto the new Mac).

On my Windows 10 install I was able to use the 1P account to unlock 1P and then also open the local vault. On Mac I don't seem to have a way to do this, instead it looks like the only options I have are either to import the vault to one of the cloud 1P vaults or to create a new local primary vault which is the vault then used to unlock 1P. Neither of these are what I am trying to do.


1Password Version: 7.7(70700016)
Extension Version: N/A
OS Version: OS X 11.2.1
Sync Type: 1Password

Comments

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni

    Hi @hamza!

    I have installed 1Password from the Mac App Store (running Big Sur, fully up to date on app and OS). I can't seem to find a way to open this local vault (which I have copied onto the new Mac).

    Please download the 1Password app from our website instead: the Mac App Store version does not support local vaults, so this is likely why you are experiencing this :+1:

  • hamza
    hamza
    Community Member

    thanks @ag_ana.

    I deleted the app from Applications in Finder and then installed it using the download from the 1Password website. However I still see the same options as before and can't see a way to open a local vault still.

    Version details from the app:

    1Password 7
    Version 7.7 (70700015)
    1Password Store

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni

    @hamza:

    Under 1Password Preferences > Advanced tab, do you have the option Allow creation of vaults outside of 1Password accounts enabled in the Local Vaults section?

  • hamza
    hamza
    Community Member

    @ag_ana. Yes this was present in the Mac Store version of the app too. However this states:

    "Enabling this feature will create a Primary vault on your Mac. You will use the Primary vault to unlock 1Password from now on"

    I don't wish to change my primary vault or use a local vault to unlock 1Password. I just want to open a local vault in addition, like I did on Windows10.

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni

    @hamza:

    Thank you for the confirmation!

    I don't wish to change my primary vault or use a local vault to unlock 1Password. I just want to open a local vault in addition, like I did on Windows10.

    A Primary vault is mandatory in 1Password for Mac if you want to use local vaults. Once a Primary vaults exists, you can add additional local vaults to the app by double-clicking on the vault file in the Finder.

  • hamza
    hamza
    Community Member

    @ag_ana but don't I already have a primary vault with the cloud 1Password synced vault that I have? I want to retain that as my primary vault.

  • hamza
    hamza
    Community Member

    further, even if I do enable this option (which then creates a new empty vault) I still have no way of opening an existing local vault file. How do I do this please?

    I'd need to be able to access vaults created elsewhere or restored from backups elsewhere and I can't seem to be able to do that on the Mac?

  • hamza
    hamza
    Community Member

    To confirm, I have just double checked and I can still do this on Windows 10 using version 7.6.791 which appears to be the latest version.

    In the windows version this is as simple as 1Password -> Open Vault on this PC.

    Why can't I do this on the Mac version?

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni

    @hamza:

    but don't I already have a primary vault with the cloud 1Password synced vault that I have? I want to retain that as my primary vault.

    No, that is a separate vault. A vault named Primary is mandatory in case you use standalone vaults. In other words, if you don't use standalone vaults, the Primary vault is not necessary. If you do want to use local vaults though, the Primary vault is mandatory.

    further, even if I do enable this option (which then creates a new empty vault) I still have no way of opening an existing local vault file. How do I do this please?

    You can double click on the vault file :+1:

    I'd need to be able to access vaults created elsewhere or restored from backups elsewhere and I can't seem to be able to do that on the Mac?

    Do you have an .opvault file for this vault, or a backup file in zip format?

    Why can't I do this on the Mac version?

    1Password for Mac is different and has always required a Primary vault when you use local vaults, as far as I know. In your case, you can use this Primary vault to keep your local data, or import a separate one, that is certainly up to you.

  • hamza
    hamza
    Community Member

    @aga_ana

    Thanks. Its a .opvault file. If I double click it 1Password Mac proposed to copy it and keep it in sync. I'm not sure that works for my workflow as the vault can and will be modified elsewhere and the file kept in sync and backed up by an external process. If the opvault file is updated elsewhere will 1Password Mac sync the changes in to it? If I change the file in 1Password Mac will that update my original vault file?

    All of these rather complicated and unnecessary for a fairly simple function the 1Password Windows handles perfectly well. I don't understand why all this additional complexity is involved on the Mac version.

  • ag_ana
    ag_ana
    1Password Alumni
    edited February 2021

    @hamza:

    I'm not sure that works for my workflow as the vault can and will be modified elsewhere and the file kept in sync and backed up by an external process. If the opvault file is updated elsewhere will 1Password Mac sync the changes in to it? If I change the file in 1Password Mac will that update my original vault file?

    You can decide this for yourself: do you want this vault to be synced or not? If you do, you can enable Dropbox sync as you are doing on your other devices:

    How to sync 1Password with Dropbox

    If you don't want this vault to sync, just do not enable sync, and this vault will remain stored locally on this Mac alone. Any change you make will stay on the Mac, and any change you make to the Dropbox vault will not sync to it.

    All of these rather complicated and unnecessary for a fairly simple function the 1Password Windows handles perfectly well. I don't understand why all this additional complexity is involved on the Mac version.

    Perhaps I am misunderstanding your concern, but the vault behaves exactly the same in 1Password for Mac as it does in 1Password for Windows when it comes to sync: if you want it to sync to Dropbox, you can enable Dropbox sync, otherwise you can keep sync disabled.

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