It’s been greater than three years since 1Password launched its final main replace for Mac. That’s to not say the corporate has been idle. Removed from it, in actual fact, however macOS customers haven’t had a big refresh to sit up for till now. Following early entry previews on Linux and Home windows, now you can attempt 1Password 8, the newest model of the corporate’s desktop app, on Mac. The replace brings with it a number of enhancements to the password supervisor.       

One of many first belongings you’ll discover is how classes have moved from the sidebar to a dropdown menu you may entry from under the search bar. 1Password co-founder David Teare informed Engadget that’s a call the corporate made to focus on totally different accounts and vaults with out forcing customers to entry a separate mode. 

A purpose the developer set out for itself when it began work on 1Password 8 was to make the app higher at highlighting all of the methods you may share totally different vaults and login credentials between members of the family and colleagues. You’ll see that method mirrored all through the app, beginning with whenever you first open it.

The lock display screen now consists of icons that show what accounts you’ll open. Furthermore, when you’re in the primary interface, you’ll see extra contextual data all through. For instance, whenever you’re about to maneuver a login, a pop-up window will seem to let you know who will acquire entry to that data in consequence.

With the emphasis on sharing, 1Password is doubling down on paid memberships. Whereas the writing has been on the wall for some time, 1Password 8 will not assist you to sync your accounts and vaults over Dropbox, iCloud or every other companies other than 1Password. In line with Teare, the corporate determined to discontinue help for third-party syncing for a handful of causes. “It’s laborious to do sharing utilizing a platform for syncing that doesn’t have an idea of different customers,” he mentioned. 

One of many different objectives 1Password set for itself with this new app was to maintain issues acquainted. Nonetheless, there are areas the place the corporate experimented. It’s most obvious within the new Watchtower view. That part of the software program will nonetheless warn you in case you have weak, reused and compromised passwords, however will achieve this utilizing a brand new dashboard view that’s just like how opponents like Dashlane and LastPass current the data of their merchandise. Teare mentioned 1Password debated making Watchtower the primary display screen you see after opening 1Password 8 however finally determined that was “too large of a soar for one launch.” Nonetheless, he famous the up to date Watchtower represents a brand new path for 1Password, one the place the corporate has the capabilities to permit its designers to tweak issues extra freely.

In a approach, that’s the unifying theme of 1Password 8. It’s a big milestone for 1Password not due to the brand new options concerned however because of the work the corporate did behind the scenes to place methods in place for future releases. “With 1Password 8, we actually needed to tie the whole lot collectively,” Teare mentioned. Beforehand, the corporate had separate groups engaged on its totally different apps, with little in the way in which of shared code and assets between them. To assist them work collectively, 1Password constructed a standard code base utilizing Rust, a programming language Teare mentioned allowed the corporate to create a extra cohesive expertise throughout its apps whereas nonetheless catering to what makes every working system totally different.

The way in which 1Password 8 works along with Safari is one instance of that. You’ll now see the browser extension open inline with the username and password discipline on an internet site. You probably have the app configured to deal with two-factor authentication requests for you, it should additionally robotically fill that discipline when you get to it.

As soon as it is finished testing the app, 1Password expects to launch 1Password 8 for Mac and Home windows later this yr. In line with Teare, the corporate additionally plans to carry the improved expertise to Android, iPhone and iPad customers “within the close to future.”