I like to complain about things, but I have to do a tip today. Quickly.

I use 1Password a lot. I’ve used 1Password since 1970 on my AT&T Unix machine.

Ok, maybe not that long. But really long.

Some websites have acquired multiple passwords that I’ve stored in 1Password. Maybe because some website’s policy is to make you change you passwords once every 6 months, whatever.

So I have 6 items in the 1password dropdown when I go to login into Google. I have three Google passwords, but this is no problem - I know the second one up is the right one, because I’ve picked it every day for the last 5 years.

My hint:

1. Go to that webpage where you have the half dozen entries for your one account.
2. Bring up the 1Password menu. Pick the correct account, but instead of clicking on it, click that arrow on the right hand side
3. In this screen click Edit
4. In your Notes field, add “Current Circa Jan 2012” (or whenever you’re reading this. Hello, people from the future!)

Now, in the 1Password app:

1. File -> New Smart Folder
2. Location contains (that website you went to - in my case Google)
3. Notes IS NOT CURRENT Circa Jan 2012
4. Delete all the items found by that query.

Anytime you see yourself saying, “It’s the third item on the list of 9, I’ve been picking that item for the last 4 years”, just do these steps (even the first four steps) and save yourself some frustration.

This tip inspired by Merlin Mann’s latest 1Password spot on Back To Work.