Including my 1Password 8 data in local backups

Hello @negl! 👋

Thanks for the question! 1Password 8 for Mac stores its local database, logs, and settings in the following location:

~/Library/Group Containers/2BUA8C4S2C.com.1password/Library/Application Support/1Password/Data

That being said, our database schema does change from time to time and you'll need a version of 1Password that uses the same schema as the old database from your backup in order to open and unlock that old copy of the database and view your passwords. Additionally, the old database may not include uncached documents/files such as a picture attached to one of your items in 1Password that you haven't yet viewed using 1Password on your Mac.

When using 1Password 8 your items are already encrypted and backed up to your 1Password account in the cloud in redundant and secure copies: 1Password backups

Let me know if you have any questions.

-Dave

Hi @1P_Dave,

That being said, our database schema does change from time to time and you'll need a version of 1Password that uses the same schema as the old database from your backup in order to open and unlock that old copy of the database and view your passwords.

Is it possible to read the database without your client? If I make a backup now, can I write a program that decrypts the data a few years from now, assuming that I still have my password and secret key? Or does that require data that's stored somewhere else?

When using 1Password 8 your items are already encrypted and backed up to your 1Password account in the cloud in redundant and secure copies: 1Password backups

I don't see how you can call that a backup, from what you say the only full copies are stored in your cloud.

Additionally, the old database may not include uncached documents/files such as a picture attached to one of your items in 1Password that you haven't yet viewed using 1Password on your Mac.

Is there a way to automatically export all my 1Password data in a local folder, which I can then back up, in a format that I can read later? Say, with the 1Password CLI?

I subscribed to 1Password because it used to be easy to back the whole vault up locally. You used to publish the spec of your local database so we could read it later. If full, local backups become hard to do, I will unsubscribe. You have to understand that depending on one company for data that important isn't reasonable.

Hi @1P_Dave,

That being said, our database schema does change from time to time and you'll need a version of 1Password that uses the same schema as the old database from your backup in order to open and unlock that old copy of the database and view your passwords.

Can I write a program that decrypts the data without your client, assuming that I still have the password and secret key when I restore a backup? Or does that require data that's not stored in that folder?

When using 1Password 8 your items are already encrypted and backed up to your 1Password account in the cloud in redundant and secure copies: 1Password backups

I don't see how you can call that a backup; from what you say, the only full copies are stored in your cloud.

Additionally, the old database may not include uncached documents/files such as a picture attached to one of your items in 1Password that you haven't yet viewed using 1Password on your Mac.

Is there a way to automatically (say, in a script) export all my vault's data in a format I can back up and read later?

I subscribed to 1Password because local backups were easy. You used to publish the spec of your local database to make it easier to read from backups. If that becomes hard, I will unsubscribe. You have to understand that asking people to rely on only one company for data this important isn't reasonable.

@negl

Thanks for the reply. At the moment, 1Password 8 doesn't include a local backup feature but I've shared your feedback with our Product team so that they're aware that this is something that you'd like to see.

Can I write a program that decrypts the data without your client, assuming that I still have the password and secret key when I restore a backup? Or does that require data that's not stored in that folder?

I'm not a developer myself but it sounds like you would need to create your own basic version of 1Password in order to do that, I don't believe that we publish the current database format anywhere. An easier way, if you'd like to create a lossless copy of your items is to export to 1PUX: How to export your data from the 1Password desktop app

1PUX will include everything in your account aside from passkeys (which the team is working on). Note that 1PUX exports are unencrypted so make sure to store this file in a safe place.

Is there a way to automatically (say, in a script) export all my vault's data in a format I can back up and read later?

The Command Line Interface doesn't currently include an export option, but I'll share this idea with the team as well. For now, you can export manually using the desktop app. 🙂

-Dave

ref: PB-38549935