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Article

1Password: An Accessible and Secure Password Storage Option

This post will discuss features and accessibility of 1Password for iOS.

Introduction

I hate remembering passwords. And making new ones is particularly hard because it’s a stretch to deviate from my standard go-to options (and no, I’m not going to tell you what those are).  But this recent article by Veroniiiica reminded me about the importance of creating secure and hard to crack passwords. And that lead to me sharing information about 1Password.

Screenshot of login screen of 1Password app

General Information

The app’s name says it all.  You literally only need one password to access the information in the app.  Once you’ve created that one password and set up your account, you use it to open the app and can access anything within it.  It’s important to note that even if you switch to another app, you will need to re-enter that master password to access the app again.

Data can also backed up to Dropbox or iCloud so if you need to wipe your phone or for some other reason need to restore information, it is very easy to do.

Another option, though I personally don’t take advantage of it, is the ability for the app to generate random passwords for a given login. Although I can certainly see the necessity in having this feature, I personally do not need it. But if you are one that uses many varied passwords and likes to be sure they are secure, this is one way to make that happen.

Screenshot of the options when creating a new item (login, secure note, credit card, and identity))

Adding Accounts

In the free version of this app, you can add logins, credit cards, secure notes, and identities (sort of like a contact card). If you upgrade to the pro version for $9.99, you can also add wireless network connections, software licenses, and other categories as well as obtain apple watch support, organize items into folders, add custom fields, and access multiple vaults. Honestly, if you’re not a power user needing to protect tons of logins, passwords, contacts, and such, you’re going to do just fine with the free version. I have software licenses, bank account information, and all sorts of other sensitive data stored in secure notes.

1Password screenshot of All Items page displaying list of apps/items with stored passwords.Accessing Information Stored in 1Password

By default, all passwords are hidden with a row of black circles (which do not necessarily represent the number of characters in the hidden password). The user has the option of hiding or revealing the password by pressing and holding the field to bring up the context menu. If the user is utilizing VoiceOver at the time, he or she can reveal or conceal either the username or password by swiping down with one finger when the VoiceOver cursor is focused there.

This app is super accessible and my students love it!

AppleVis has created a podcast on using this app and, though it was recorded two years ago, not much has changed.

I think the part that I like the very best is that when VoiceOver is being used, the username and password for a specific account can be revealed or concealed by swiping down with one finger when the VoiceOver cursor is focused on it. This allows the VoiceOver user the ability to conceal information such as email addresses without the need to enable the screen curtain if he or she does not wish to.

Sharing Across Devices

Another great thing about 1Password is you can share sensitive information across your apple devices without the need to upgrade. For example, if you have the Mac app, you can access the same information that is on your iPhone on your computer.

If you subscribe to the service, which can cost between $3 and $6 per month, you can access your information online and across platforms. This also gives you added features such as secure storage.

Conclusion

This is a great free app that can be used by blind, partially sighted, and completely sighted individuals equally.  It offers a lot of excellent options in the free version and some nice add-on features if you choose to either subscribe or update to the pro version. For more information about 1Password, you may wish to visit their website.

By Snowflake_tvi

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