by If you’ve ever played “What would you take to a deserted island?” the response probably included any number of practical, real-world items needed for basic human survival. In our case, 1Password would rank squarely near the top. Compatible with web browsers such as Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, and now Opera, 1Password acts as a secure central depository for logins and passwords, as well as credit cards, reward programs, and even personal identities, providing websites one-click access to sensitive information.
With a complete UI overhaul, 1Password 4 for Mac improves categories by adding new options like Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, and passports in a clean, easy-to-understand layout that keeps data locked away behind a master password. Also new to version 4.0 is Security Audit, which scours a user’s personal data and keeps tabs on how long it’s been since passwords were last changed, even identifying weak or duplicate credentials.
1Password 4 for Mac offers a refreshed, streamlined look and feel that keeps sensitive data organized yet easy to access.
1Password for Mac has always been an application that users spend little time directly interacting with, and that’s especially true with the latest version, thanks to a menu-bar option called 1Password mini. Unlike previous versions, which frequently offered unique layouts depending on the browser being used, 1Password mini provides a universal experience across each, along with rapid-fire access to stored data.
1Password mini includes the ability to generate, save, and recall secure passwords, while a handy search field allows users to quickly pull up relevant information with a minimum of keyboard strokes. Most of the time, users will save or access existing logins, and these options appear front and center at the top of the list for one-click login to most websites (although there are invariably websites that vex 1Password).
While we’re generally thrilled with 1Password mini’s newly universal approach, we can’t help but lament the loss of the old browser extension’s contextual menu, which provided less back and forth with the cursor. However, this is an adjustment even longtime users will have little trouble adapting to, and ultimately the new method has far more benefits.
Another new feature we like is the ability to have multiple or even shared vaults. The former comes in handy for keeping personal and business data separated, while the latter provides a way for users to selectively share data with each other. This requires a bit of extra setup within Dropbox, and sharing can’t be done on more than one item at a time, but otherwise it works well.
The newly universal 1Password mini is a downsized menu-bar version of the full application, which performs most of the tasks users need daily.
Speaking of sync, the Mac App Store version of 1Password 4 now allows data to be stored in iCloud, providing easier setup for novice users, although it can’t be used on shared vaults. Last but not least, version 4.0 restores Wi-Fi Sync, allowing users of the companion iOS app to skip the cloud entirely while keeping sensitive data in sync with mobile devices.
The bottom line. Hands down, 1Password for Mac is one of the desktop applications we can’t live without, and version 4.0 proves that even the best can find ways to improve over time.
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