Where Does 1Password Store Local Data?
1Password settings and encrypted cache folders on desktop, and why copying them never replaces your account.
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Since version 8, 1Password keeps no standalone local vaults. What sits on disk is an encrypted cache of your cloud account (1password.sqlite) plus a settings.json file: under ~/Library/Group Containers/... on Mac, %LOCALAPPDATA%\1Password on Windows, ~/.config/1Password on Linux.
Copying those files recovers convenience, never access. Recovery always goes through your 1Password.com account. Also note settings.json is cryptographically signed, so hand edits to sensitive keys get ignored on launch.
Where 1Password stores this, by platform
~/Library/Group Containers/2BUA8C4S2C.com.1password/Library/Application Support/1Password/Data/
Holds the encrypted 1password.sqlite cache, settings/settings.json and a logs/ folder. The pre version 8 com.agilebits path is stale. Recovery goes through your 1Password.com account, never through copying sqlite alone.
%LOCALAPPDATA%\1Password\
Holds the encrypted 1password.sqlite cache and logs. Settings live next door in %APPDATA%\1Password\settings\settings.json. Same deal: convenient cache, not a portable vault.
~/.config/1Password/
Settings at ~/.config/1Password/settings/settings.json with the cache alongside. Snap installs use ~/snap/1password/current/.config/1Password/ instead. Purging means removing this whole root.
Frequently asked questions
Can I restore my vaults by copying 1password.sqlite?
No. That file is an encrypted cache of your cloud account, not a standalone vault. Sign in to your 1Password.com account on the new machine and it rebuilds itself. Keep your Emergency Kit instead of sqlite copies.
Why do my hand edits to settings.json get reverted?
The file is cryptographically signed, so the app ignores direct edits to sensitive keys on launch. Change those options through the Settings UI and let 1Password rewrite the file itself.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.