1Password v8.10.4 inconsistent with unlocking using Apple Watch

@Dave_1P

It's set to "Every 2 weeks"

Thank you

@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

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

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

Thank you.

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.