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# Migrating Your Data to the Agile Keychain

All your 1Password data is stored in a file called a keychain. You must migrate this data file to a new format, called the Agile Keychain, before you can use 1Password 3. This document describes how to do so.

## How to Migrate Your Data to the Agile Keychain

1. Make sure that you have the latest version of 1Password 2, which you may download for free here (at the bottom of the page).

2. If you have any other version of 1Password installed, you will need to quit it and drag it to the trash. (This will not harm your data, which is stored separately.)

3. Quit all open web browsers.

4. Launch 1Password 2 and open 1Password > Preferences > Keychain.

5. Click on the Keychain tab and click the Switch to Agile Keychain Format button, shown here:

6. You will be prompted to create a Master Password for encrypting and protecting your data in the new Agile Keychain It is recommended that you enter the same password you were using for the old keychain.:

Note: During the migration process, you may be prompted by Mac OS X’s Security Agent to allow 1Password to access items in your OS X Keychain. Be sure to allow access or else 1Password will not be able to migrate your information to a new Agile Keychain.

## The Location of Your New Agile Keychain

After migration, your newly created Agile Keychain will be located here, in your user’s home folder:

> ~/Library/Application Support/1Password/1Password.agilekeychain

Be sure to add this file to your automatic backup system. If you would like to change its location, you can change it in 1Password 2 from the 1Password > Preferences > Keychain window, and in 1Password 3 from the 1Password > Preferences > General window.

## Syncing the Agile Keychain

For details on how to sync the Agile Keychain between your Macs, please see our Sync Solutions document. Our recommended solution is to sync using Dropbox.

## Why 1Password 3 No Longer Stores Data in the Mac OS X Keychain Format

Since the very beginning, 1Password used the Mac OS X Keychain Services to store all of its information. After years of use, we learned a lot about the nuances of the Mac OS X keychain and how users benefited from it, as well as where things could be improved.

The Agile Keychain was created in response to users’ needs to be able to sync without using MobileMe and from our years of experience supporting customers. We needed a solution that was faster, easy to sync, more robust, and able to support the features of 1Password 3.

As 1Password matured and its features increased, 1Password could no longer store all its information in the Mac OS X keychain.

For more information, you can review the quick data file comparison document as well as a detailed explanation of why the Agile Keychain was created and the technical Agile Keychain Design documents.

## Examining the Agile Keychain Contents

By default, the Agile Keychain is stored in the Home > Library > Application Support > 1Password folder and called 1Password.agilekeychain. This file is actually a collection of files bundled together in what is known as a Mac OS X “package” file. There are many files in OS X that are packages like this, including 1Password itself, most other applications, and files created by iWork ‘08 and RapidWeaver. A package is technically just a folder, so you can explore the Agile Keychain package contents by Control-clicking (or right-clicking) your Agile Keychain file and selecting Show Contents from the contextual menu.

Note that, while you can see all the files and folders bundled in your Agile Keychain, the files that contain your actual 1Password data (like passwords, credit card numbers, etc.) are encrypted with your Master Password.

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