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Merging Duplicates

After an import or two, the same login can turn up twice. Merge makes two items one: you choose which item to keep, and which value wins in each field.

What counts as a duplicate

Two items are likely duplicates when they have the same site and the same username:

  • The same site means the same registered domain, the name the site's owner registered. signin.example.com and www.example.com are both example.com; www.example.co.uk is example.co.uk. An address that's a number, or a name on your own network, is taken whole.
  • The same username ignores capitals and any spaces at either end, so Sam@Example.com and sam@example.com match.

Both must match. Names and passwords never count: two items with the same name at different sites aren't duplicates, and nor are two items that share a password (Credential Health deals with those). An item with no website or no username has no likely duplicates, though Manual Search can still find one for it.

These items take no part in Merge:

  • archived items;
  • items in the Bin;
  • items already merged into another.

Two items holding the same one-time code, with the same setup key, digits and period, are likely duplicates too, whatever they're called.

Not built yet.

Import uses the same rule for its Possible Duplicates: see Importing from Another App.

The merge mark

A row with a likely duplicate carries a small blue-grey mark of two overlapping circles. On the Info page, just under the summary of your items, Possible Merges counts the merges waiting: two alike make one merge, three alike make two. Both show whether Credential Health is on or off.

[Screenshot: a row on Recent with the blue-grey merge mark]

Starting a merge

Swipe left on the item's row and tap Merge, or open the item and tap the two circles at the top, beside the gear.

Right-click the item's row and choose Merge…, or open the item and click the two circles beside Edit.

Merge isn't offered on an archived item. It first checks it's you, as opening an item does, since it reads your items to compare them.

Merge opens with the item you started from under Merging, and its likely duplicates under Likely Duplicates. Choose the one to merge with. If one of them isn't the same login at all, use its Never Suggest pill.

Where there are no likely duplicates, Merge offers Manual Search and Merge to a new Type or Template instead.

Choosing what to keep

[Screenshot: the Merge screen with the two items side by side]

Which item is kept. Each item shows when it was made and last changed, which helps you choose. The item you started from is marked Chosen first, and the other Chosen to merge with. The item kept takes the values you choose, and any fields only the other one has.

What happens to the other item. It's archived or deleted, with a note in its Notes that it was merged. A deleted one goes to the Bin for its days, or is gone at once where the Bin keeps nothing. Settings decides which of the two you're offered: with both Allow Archiving and Allow Deleting off, nothing can be merged.

Which value wins. Every field of either item is listed, with each item's value side by side; a side without the field is blank. For each field, choose the side whose value wins. You can also:

  • edit the winning value where it stands (not a password or a one-time code);
  • untick a field to leave it out of the merged item;
  • choose either item's one-time code and either item's Type;
  • change the merged item's tags, from all your tags;
  • keep either item's notes, or both.

A password not chosen joins the kept item's previous passwords, so nothing is lost.

Passwords and hidden values are shown as dots. Use the eye to show them all, and again to hide them.

Keep and The Other Item come first, then Which Value Wins with a row for each field. Tap a value to choose it. Tap Review when you're ready.

The two items stand in two columns, side by side, with Keep, Archive and Delete pills above each. Click a value to choose it. Click Review when you're ready.

Review and accept

The review shows the item kept as it will be. Then:

  • Accept Merge makes the two one. The kept item opens in Edit, for you to finish anything you like. There's no going back to the list.
  • Change the Choices takes you back to the choices.
  • Cancel asks what to do with the pair: Never Suggest These Two Again, Maybe Later (they're offered again next time), or Keep Reviewing.

Never Suggest

Never Suggest keeps two items apart: Merge never offers them together again, on any of your devices, and the row goes from the list at once. Manual Search can still find either of them if you change your mind.

When Merge finds no likely duplicates, Manual Search lets you find the other item yourself. Type in the search box: it looks through every item's name, website, username and notes, in any capitals, as you type, and Search searches at once. Then choose the item to merge with, and carry on as above.

Only items that can take part in Merge are listed.

Merge to a new Type or Template

Sometimes an item came in as the wrong Type: say, Wi-Fi networks that an import brought in as logins. Merge to a new Type or Template, also offered where there are no likely duplicates, moves an item onto a new item of the Type and Template you choose.

  1. Choose the Type, then the Template. Each starts as the item's own, so you can keep either.
  2. Choose Continue. A new, empty item made from the template stands as the one kept, and your item is the other one, to be deleted (or archived, where deleting is off).
  3. Fields that match line up as usual: a login's password goes to the new template's password, for example. Each field of the new item also has a Copy from menu, offering your item's name, website, notes and filled-in fields (never a password or a one-time code).

The new item starts with your item's name, website, icon, notes and tags, and keeps the date your item was made. If you keep your item instead, go back or cancel, the new item is let go.

Continue to Why Back Up?.