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Forum Discussion
Nested folders in department vaults
The issue I am having is that we save a very large number of credentails and details in 1password, and currently, I am creating vaults with names of the department and a subsection name as part of t...
1P_Dave
Moderator
ModeratorHello TheG! 👋
Thanks for reaching out! 1Password doesn't have sub-vaults or a folder hierarchy but have you considered using tags?
As long as you don't need to assign different levels of permission to the different collections of items you could have one vault named "HR" and then the following tags for specific items: HR-References, HR-AnnualLeave, and HR-Attendance.
Users could then just view the items with that tag by clicking the tag in the sidebar or by using a search filter in the desktop app: Search in the 1Password app to find what you need
Let me know if that doesn't work for you.
-Dave
Hi Dave
Sorry for the long delay in replying, just over busy at work.
I discussed this with a few colleagues and the feedback was unanimous, tags are not a solution. Its like coming up with 15 step action to crack an egg, when all that is needed is to offer a simple folder structure. Windows style, or SharePoint style. They are industry standards.
Surely your team can address this, and add folder trees, it would improve the product no end.
I know our renewal is up soon, so I'll be under pressure to justify not moving to a rival that has a folder structure that works, and in all honesty, I wouldn't mind, if we can get a folder tree!
Thanks
The G
- 1P_Dave
Thanks for the reply. 1Password is currently designed with a flat vault-based architecture, rather than a nested folder structure. Each vault is encrypted using it's own private key which is primarily how access to that vault is controlled.
We have received feature request to develop "sub-vaults" or folders before and I can see how they would be useful. While I can't make any promises, I've filed a feature request on your behalf as well.
I know our renewal is up soon, so I'll be under pressure to justify not moving to a rival that has a folder structure that works, and in all honesty, I wouldn't mind, if we can get a folder tree!
If you have a 1Password Business account then I recommend that you also communicate this to your Customer Success Manager (CSM) so that they're aware of your organization's needs in this area.
-Dave
PB-51835092
I'll be honest, we have 1Password until Feb 2026 and at the moment, I will be recommending and looking at another solution.
Its one thing to have the current cumbersome single level sprawling mess and to use it, but we also have to get all the staff to use it and be happy to use it, so its like pushing a ton of bricks up a hill in a wheelbarrow, only to also have a flat tyre.
This really needs to be addressed, I've seen a lot of comments about this issue.- 1P_Dave
Thank you for the continued feedback, hopefully this is an area that the team can improve in the future.
-Dave
Hi 1P_Dave
Reading your reply you mention "Each vault is encrypted using it's own private key which is primarily how access to that vault is controlled."
I don't think thats the issue here. At least for me there is no need for adding permissions to folders within a vault. It is purely an organizational/visual problem.
In my vaults there are so many entries (and we already use a lot of vaults to reduce the number of items) and the flat search doesn't always find the correct item. A folder structure would be really helpful to find the correct item more easily.
Tags are a workaround that require knowledge of existing tags and additional steps to use (Also tags still are not collapsible which renders them completely unusable in case you want to use more than 40). While placing an item in a folder is a skill any company worker already knows.
It would be just way more user friendly to have a hierarchical overlay to manage the items.
Sebastian
- 1P_Dave
Thank you for the feedback, I've passed it along to the team internally!
-Dave
PB-51859168
