1Password is simplifying setup on new devices and adding ‘Recovery codes’

1Password has announced that it will be simplifying setup on new devices drastically while also introducing “Recovery Codes” to provide a last way to save an account with lost credentials.

Launching in the new few months (by the end of Summer), 1Password will be redesigning its setup experience. The password manager will no longer require that users input their Secret Key, email, and other information in order to set up a new device with access to their account. The new system will simply use a QR code to set up the new device, followed by a confirmation step on the original device.

While this results in fewer steps for the user, 1Password says it’s still “incredibly secure.” That’s because it eliminates the need for crednetials and “sets up an encrypted channel between your devices” to set up the new device. The QR code itself is also a one-time use.

1Password says this new experience will launch in beta in the next few months, but it’s not clear when it’ll be widely available to everyone.

Beyond that, 1Password is also adding “Recovery codes.”

To make a 1Password account today you need an email, a password, and you’ll also get a complex “Secret Key.” That Secret Key is needed to access the account and, if you lose it, that’s it. Your account can no longer be accessed.

But with Recovery codes, 1Password says you’ll have one last hope.

A Recovery code will allow a user to regain access to their account even if they’ve lost their credentials. The code is in your account and should be “stored somewhere safe” once you’ve accessed it. When you use the code, you’ll be prompted to then set up new credentials from scratch and you’ll get a new Secret Key too. The code is reusable, too, but you’ll need to use email verification to finish the process.

1Password explains:

Once youʼve created that recovery code, as long as you have access to the email address associated with your 1Password account, you can use the recovery code on 1Password.com any time to regain access to your account and create new sign-in details. You can generate recovery codes if youʼre using 1Password for Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and 1Password.com.

1Password accounts and the data stored in them are just as secure as theyʼve always been. Weʼve made sure that the recovery process is safe by requiring two separate steps (email verification and your recovery code) to complete identity verification and regain access to your account.

Recovery codes are available starting today.