Guide · Agent skill

How to use the 1Password CLI Setup agent skill

Updated 2026-10-29 · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The 1Password CLI Setup skill teaches an AI agent how to install the 1Password command-line tool (op), connect it to the 1Password desktop app, and sign in, including when you have more than one account. It is written for people who may never have used agent skills before. After this guide you will know how to add the skill, how to ask for it in plain language, and what it will and will not do on your machine.

1Password CLI Setupspinabot/brigade · MIT Download the skill

Quick start

1Download and unzip the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
2Install the 1Password CLI. Install op using the official get-started steps for your OS, or with the Homebrew formula 1password-cli.
3Enable desktop app integration. Open and unlock the 1Password app, then turn on Developer integration with the CLI in its settings.
4Ask the agent to set up op. Use a plain request such as asking it to set up the 1Password CLI and connect it to the desktop app.
5Authorize sign-in in the app. When the agent runs op signin inside tmux, approve the prompt in the 1Password desktop app.
6Confirm access before reading secrets. Let the agent run op whoami successfully, then request the secret you need.

What is an agent skill and what does this one do?

An agent skill is a folder of instructions and reference files that an AI agent loads when a task matches the skill's description. This one is named 1password and is about the 1Password CLI, the command-line tool called op.

Once installed, the agent follows the official 1Password get-started steps instead of guessing install commands. It checks that the CLI is present, confirms desktop app integration is enabled, signs in, and verifies access before reading any secret. It can then read a password or other secret, or inject and run secrets in a command, without writing them to disk.

Checks the operating system and shell, then confirms op is installed with op --version.
Helps enable desktop app integration and sign in with op signin.
Verifies access with op whoami before any secret is read.
Reads secrets with op read, fills templates with op inject, and runs programs with op run.
Uses --account or OP_ACCOUNT when you have several accounts.

Install the 1Password CLI Setup skill

Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. Then put the folder in one of these locations. For a personal skill available across projects, use ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, use a .claude/skills/ folder inside that project.

You can also upload the skill in the Claude apps. Go to Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills, and upload it there.

Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
Project: .claude/skills/ inside your project folder
Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Prepare 1Password and the CLI

The skill relies on the official get-started steps. You need a 1Password account, the 1Password desktop app, and the CLI. The source says app integration requires a 1Password subscription and the desktop app, and that the macOS version needs to be Big Sur 11.0.0 or later.

To enable integration in the desktop app, open and unlock it, then go to Settings, Developer, and turn on integration. The exact menu names differ by platform, so follow the wording shown on your screen. On Linux, app integration also needs PolKit and an authentication agent.

macOS: Settings > Developer > Integrate with 1Password CLI (Touch ID optional)
Windows: turn on Windows Hello, then Settings > Developer > Integrate
Linux: Settings > Security > Unlock using system authentication, then Settings > Developer > Integrate
Install the CLI with the Homebrew formula 1password-cli if you use Homebrew, or follow the official install steps for your OS

brew install 1password-cli

Trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need special syntax. Ask for what you want in plain words, and the agent will load the skill when your request matches its description. Good triggers mention installing the CLI, enabling desktop app integration, signing in, or reading, injecting, or running secrets.

Be specific about the account if you have more than one, and name the item or path you need when you can.

Set up the 1Password CLI on my Mac and connect it to the desktop app.
Sign in to my work 1Password account with op and check that it works.
Read the database password from my app-prod vault and use it in this script.
I have two 1Password accounts. Use the personal one for this task.

Examples of what the agent can run

The skill's reference file lists real op commands. The agent runs them inside a tmux session, as described in the safety section. Here are examples taken from the reference file.

Reading one secret, injecting values into a template, and running a program with a secret in its environment are the three most common patterns.

op read op://app-prod/db/password
echo "db_password: {{ op://app-prod/db/password }}" | op inject
op run --env-file="./.env" -- printenv DB_PASSWORD

Safety notes: scripts, network and tmux

This skill runs scripts and uses the network. Its own setup instructions include a tmux step, and the skill says every op command must run inside a dedicated tmux session. If tmux is not installed, the skill tells the agent to stop and ask you rather than run op outside it.

The skill also sets guardrails. The agent should never paste secrets into logs, chat, or code. It prefers op run and op inject over writing secrets to disk. If a command reports that the account is not signed in, the agent re-runs op signin in tmux and waits for you to authorize in the app. It will not bypass 1Password's approval prompts.

Requires tmux for all op commands. Install it before you start.
Sign-in requires you to approve the request in the 1Password desktop app.
Review the SKILL.md file and reference files before you install any skill from any source.

Tips for a smooth setup

Most setup problems come from the desktop app not being open and unlocked, or from integration not being switched on. Check those first. If you have several accounts, tell the agent which one to use so it passes --account or sets OP_ACCOUNT.

If you only need a one-off sign-in without app integration, the skill points to op account add.

Open and unlock the 1Password app before asking the agent to sign in.
Run op account list to see which accounts are available.
Name the account explicitly for multi-account setups.

What people use it for

Pulling an API key from a 1Password vault into a local development script without saving it in a file.
Filling a config template with op inject so the agent can generate a working config.yml.
Running a program with secrets in its environment using op run and an env file.
Choosing the correct 1Password account when you have a personal and a work account.
Setting up the 1Password CLI for the first time on a macOS or Linux machine that already has the desktop app.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a 1Password account to use this skill?

Yes. The skill cannot create or access secrets without a 1Password account. The get-started notes also say app integration requires a 1Password subscription and the desktop app.

What do I need installed before I start?

You need the 1Password CLI (op), the 1Password desktop app with CLI integration enabled, and tmux, which the skill requires for all op commands. Homebrew is needed only if you use the brew install option.

Is this skill free?

The skill is published under the MIT licence. The source does not state pricing for 1Password itself, so check 1Password's own plans for subscription costs.

Can the agent sign in without my approval?

No. The skill requires you to authorize sign-in in the 1Password desktop app. If that is not possible, the agent stops and does not try to get around the prompt.

How do I work with more than one 1Password account?

Use op signin to choose an account, or pass --account or set OP_ACCOUNT. You can list accounts with op account list. Tell the agent which account to use in your request.

Does this skill work on Windows?

The 1Password CLI supports Windows with PowerShell, and the get-started notes include Windows integration steps. This skill's source focuses on the macOS and Linux desktop setup, so check the official steps for Windows details.

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Our verdict

This skill suits developers and first-time users on macOS or Linux who already have a 1Password account and desktop app and want an agent to fetch secrets safely during coding work. It is a poor fit if you need the agent to run without tmux, want to skip 1Password's approval prompts, or do not have a 1Password account. Review its scripts and network use before installing, as with any skill.

Download the skill