What to do when a 1Password account holder dies
AgileBits Inc. has a formal process for transferring accounts after an account holder dies
1Password Support
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Timeline
If the Emergency Kit is available with the account password, access is immediate. If contacting 1Password Support, no published timeline exists. Due to zero-knowledge architecture, 1Password cannot provide vault contents regardless of documentation provided — support can only assist with account-level actions such as subscription cancellation.
WebsiteFile estate claim →
Verified Mar 2026
1Password has no formal bereavement or estate process. There is no dedicated form, support path, or policy page for deceased account holders. Due to 1Password's zero-knowledge architecture, even 1Password itself cannot access or decrypt vault contents. If the account password and Secret Key are both lost, vault data is permanently and irrecoverably inaccessible. The Emergency Kit (a PDF containing the Secret Key with space to write the account password) is the primary mechanism for estate access. The Terms of Service prohibit account assignment or transfer without prior consent, with no exception for death or estate administration.
How to request a transfer
To request a transfer of 1Password accounts after an account holder's death, follow these steps:
1
Locate the deceased's Emergency Kit. This is a printed PDF (often stored with passports, birth certificates, or in a safe deposit box) containing the sign-in address, email, Secret Key, and ideally the handwritten account password. Without it, vault access may be permanently impossible.
2
If the Emergency Kit is found with the account password: sign in at the sign-in address using the email, Secret Key, and account password. You will have full access to all vaults the deceased could access.
3
If you are a Family Organizer on the deceased's family account: you can access all shared vaults that the deceased had access to. However, you CANNOT access the deceased's Private vault through account recovery. The recovery process requires the account holder to actively click an email link and set new credentials.
4
If neither the Emergency Kit nor account credentials are available: contact 1Password Support at support.1password.com. Due to zero-knowledge architecture, 1Password cannot decrypt vault data. Support can only help with account-level actions (subscription cancellation, etc.), not vault access.
5
Once you have access, export vault data immediately. Export to 1PUX format (includes all item types, documents, and attachments) or CSV (Login and Password items only). Warning: exported files are unencrypted plaintext.
6
Use the recovered credentials to access the deceased's other accounts. A password manager often holds the keys to email, banking, social media, cloud storage, and every other digital service.
Required Documents
- Emergency Kit (printed PDF with Secret Key and account password)
- If contacting 1Password Support: death certificate, proof of legal authority, government-issued photo ID
Timeline
If the Emergency Kit is available with the account password, access is immediate. If contacting 1Password Support, no published timeline exists. Due to zero-knowledge architecture, 1Password cannot provide vault contents regardless of documentation provided — support can only assist with account-level actions such as subscription cancellation.
Frequently asked questions
No. 1Password uses zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption. All vault data is encrypted with keys derived from the account password and Secret Key, neither of which 1Password possesses. Even with a death certificate, court order, or law enforcement request, 1Password can only provide encrypted data that it cannot decrypt. The Emergency Kit is the only reliable path to vault access after death.
No. While a Family Organizer can initiate account recovery, the recovery process requires the account holder to actively click an email link and create new credentials. This cannot be done on behalf of a deceased person. Family Organizers can access shared vaults but not another member's Private vault.
Recovery codes are personal codes that family members can use to restore access to their own accounts by clicking "Having trouble signing in?" on 1Password.com. However, recovery codes require the account holder to actively complete the recovery process — they cannot be used by someone else to access a deceased person's account. The Emergency Kit remains the primary estate planning tool.
Business administrators can initiate account recovery, but like Family Organizer recovery, the process requires the account holder to actively participate by clicking an email link and creating new credentials. Administrators can access shared team vaults but not individual Private vaults. Note that administrators can disable Emergency Kits for their teams, which may further complicate estate access for business accounts.
1Password recommends printing the Emergency Kit and writing your account password on it rather than sharing credentials directly. As their estate planning guide states, keeping passwords secret during your lifetime is the right approach, but after death those passwords become the keys loved ones need. Store the printed Emergency Kit securely with your will or estate documents so your executor can access it when needed.
After the transfer is complete, the recipient can use the accounts according to the program's standard terms. Document the deceased account holder's details to make this process easier for your executor or family.
1Password Support
WebsiteVisit website →
1Password Legal Requests
Timeline
If the Emergency Kit is available with the account password, access is immediate. If contacting 1Password Support, no published timeline exists. Due to zero-knowledge architecture, 1Password cannot provide vault contents regardless of documentation provided — support can only assist with account-level actions such as subscription cancellation.
WebsiteFile estate claim →
Verified Mar 2026