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1Password 3

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# Configure Dropbox Syncing

This article explains how to configure Dropbox to sync your 1Password data file. While Dropbox is our favorite sync solution, there are many other tools available, such as those listed on our sync solutions page. You should pick a solution that meets your needs.

## What is Dropbox?

Dropbox is a file-based synchronization solution and is our recommended method for keeping 1Password data in sync. It is incredibly fast, maintains a revision history of your files, is accessible from any browser (useful when traveling), and enables you to share files with others.

## Creating a Dropbox Account

Dropbox has an excellent video on their home page that shows how to get up and running quickly.

## Setting Up Dropbox on the First Mac

After Dropbox is installed, go to the 1Password > Preferences > General window within 1Password and click Move to Dropbox. 1Password will then ask you to confirm that you’d like to move your Agile Keychain to your Dropbox folder.

That’s all there is to it! Your data file is now being monitored by Dropbox and automatically copied to all your other machines. Your data file will show a blue syncing badge during the upload process. When it is finished, it will have a green check mark badge. When it does, you’re ready to move on to connecting your other Macs.

## Connecting Other Macs

To configure 1Password on your other Macs, first setup Dropbox, then make sure you have the latest version of 1Password installed and running. Locate your 1Password.agilekeychain file in your Dropbox folder. If it has a green check mark badge indicating that the sync is complete, double click it, and 1Password will confirm that you want to use this new location. Important If it shows the blue syncing badge rather than the green check mark badge, wait until the badge is a green check mark before opening the file. Failure to do so could result in data corruption.

After clicking Yes, 1Password will configure itself to use this new data file. Since the data file is monitored by Dropbox, any change you make to your data file will be automatically synchronized to all your other Macs. 1Password and its browser extensions will detect these changes and automatically reload the data file, allowing completely automatic and seamless syncing without MobileMe.

## Video of Dropbox and 1Password in Action

Don McAllister of ScreenCastsOnline created a great video of using Dropbox to sync 1Password data. Please note that this video was made for 1Password 2 and some of the options are different in 1Password 3, specifically the new ‘Move to Dropbox’ option:

This section was part of a members-only video about using Dropbox, but Don was kind enough to extract the 1Password portion of the video and make it available to everyone.

The high resolution version of the video can be found on our web site.

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