# Android can now move passwords and passkeys between managers

> A system-level transfer flow moves passwords and passkeys between Android password managers in a few taps — no CSV exports, no plaintext files sitting on your device.

_Source: Google official announcement (first-party), corroborated by TechCrunch, 9to5Google and Ars Technica · 2026-09-11 · 4 min read · Verified against primary sources_

Canonical: https://iyu.app/e/android-password-manager-switch

## The 60-second version

Android now lets you move passwords and passkeys between password managers with a few taps — no CSV files involved.

**Key points**

- Google introduced a system-level transfer flow in Android that coordinates the hand-off between two password manager apps.
- It works for passwords and passkeys alike — passkeys previously had no transfer method at all.
- Google Password Manager, 1Password, Bitwarden and Dashlane support it at launch, on Android 8 and newer.

**Verdict.** A genuinely useful convenience and a small win against lock-in — though the partner list is still short, so check whether your manager is on it before planning a switch.

## Full explainer

Android is getting a system-level way to move **passwords and passkeys** between password managers — no CSV exports, no plaintext files. You open the new manager app, choose to import from the old one, and Android coordinates the hand-off in a few taps. It is live today for Google Password Manager, 1Password, Bitwarden and Dashlane on Android 8 and newer.


### The old way — What switching used to cost

Moving your passwords used to mean exporting them into a CSV file — an unencrypted text file sitting on your device — and importing it into the new app. Passkeys were worse: they had no transfer mechanism at all, so switching managers meant recreating each one, site by site.


### Three steps — How the new switch works

- **1.** Open your new password manager and choose to import or copy passwords and passkeys from another provider. The app hands the job to Android.
- **2.** Android detects the password managers already on your device and shows which ones you can import from.
- **3.** Tap Continue, review and authorize inside your old manager, and the credentials move over in a few seconds.

> **🔑** Passkeys are included — the one credential type that previously could not be transferred at all. No more re-enrolling your keys on every site.


### At launch — Who supports it

- **Google Password Manager:** Google's own manager; the import flow is built in.
- **1Password:** Live at launch.
- **Bitwarden Password Manager:** Live at launch.
- **Dashlane:** Live at launch.

More partners are on the way. 9to5Google reports that other managers can join by supporting the Credentials Transfer API in Android's Credential Manager; Google's own announcement does not name the API.


### Less lock-in, less exposure — Why this matters

The CSV ritual was a lock-in lever as much as a security risk — an unencrypted file on disk, plus passkeys that effectively chained you to one app. An OS-level transfer removes both. Google frames it as user freedom: you should be able to choose the security tools that work best for you.

- **4** — managers live at launch, with more partners to follow
- **Android 8+** — devices the feature supports, per Google
- **Seconds** — typical transfer time once you authorize

> The best lock-in killer is the one you never have to think about.


### For users — What to do now

If you have been putting off switching managers on Android, the move is now a few minutes of taps instead of an export–import chore. Keep the old app installed until you have confirmed everything arrived — and remember the partner list is still short, so check whether your target manager is on it first.


## Primary sources

- [Google official blog: Switching password managers is easy and safe on Android](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/platforms/android/switch-password-managers/)
- [TechCrunch: Google is making it easier to switch between password managers on Android](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/10/google-is-making-it-easier-to-switch-between-password-managers-on-android/)
- [9to5Google: Android rolling out passkey transfers between password managers](https://9to5google.com/2026/09/10/android-passkey-password-transfer/)
- [Ars Technica: Android can now securely migrate your logins between password managers](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/09/android-can-now-securely-migrate-your-logins-between-password-managers/)

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