How to Transfer Passwords and Passkeys Between Apps on Android (No File Download)

To transfer passwords and passkeys between apps on Android without downloading an unencrypted CSV, install your new password manager on the same phone, open it, select "Import / Copy from another provider", choose your old manager, and approve the encrypted handoff in the confirmation prompt.

Key Takeaways

• Google shipped a system-level Credential Exchange on September 10, 2026, enabling direct OS-level vault transfers.
• Supports Google Password Manager, 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane with zero unencrypted file exports.
• Both the source and destination password manager apps must be installed on the same Android device.
• Always initiate the transfer inside the destination app (choose Import/Copy), not through system Settings.
• Verify 2-3 important site logins with both passwords and passkeys before uninstalling your old manager.

For years, switching password apps on Android meant exporting a CSV — an unlocked, plain-text list of every login sitting on your phone storage. Passkeys were worse: because cryptographic keys cannot be pasted into a spreadsheet, you often had to recreate them manually site by site.

On September 10, 2026, Google shipped a system-level credential transfer. Android now moves your entire encrypted vault directly between two supported apps. No file download. No spreadsheet.

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Who this works with today

The initial launch supports the industry's major credential providers:

• Google Password Manager
• 1Password
• Bitwarden
• Dashlane

More apps can join through Android’s Credentials Transfer API (part of FIDO Alliance Credential Exchange standards). Both apps must be installed on the same phone.

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Step-by-Step: How to do it

1. Install the password manager you want to move to (e.g., Bitwarden or 1Password from the Google Play Store).

2. Open that new app and choose Import or Copy from another provider.

3. Android automatically lists compatible apps already installed on your phone.

4. Pick the old manager (e.g., Google Password Manager) and tap Continue.

5. The old app opens so you can authenticate with biometrics/PIN and review what leaves.

6. Wait a few seconds. Check that passkeys and passwords arrived before you delete the old app.

> Crucial Rule: Always start inside the destination app, not Android Settings.

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Why this is safer than a CSV

A CSV export is plain text. If you email it to yourself, take a backup screenshot, or forget to delete it from your Downloads folder, your entire digital life is exposed in cleartext.

This native flow keeps the move inside Android's secure memory boundary and the two authenticated apps. You still approve the export explicitly in the old manager using biometric authentication.

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Limits and Best Practices

• API Compatibility: Both apps must support the new transfer protocol.
• System Updates: Older Android versions may need a Google Play services update to enable the Credential Exchange framework.
• Hardware-bound Passkeys: Passkeys tied to a specific physical device or security key still need a quick test login after the move.
• Verification Grace Period: Do not uninstall the old manager until you have successfully signed into two or three critical accounts (such as email and banking).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer passkeys from Google Password Manager to Bitwarden or 1Password?

Yes. With the September 2026 Android Credential Transfer update, passkeys are packaged and transferred directly between supported apps alongside standard passwords without exporting raw files.

Why doesn't the import option show up in Android Settings?

The transfer is initiated directly within the destination password manager app (via its Import menu), which calls Android's Credentials Transfer API to discover installed source managers.

Is the Android credential transfer encrypted?

Yes. The transfer occurs directly through protected operating system IPC channels between the authenticated provider apps, bypassing disk storage and eliminating cleartext CSV files.

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Practical takeaway

If you have been stuck in Google Password Manager only because leaving felt dangerous or tedious, this is the clean exit. Move the vault. Confirm two logins. Then delete the CSV habit for good.

*Source: Google Android blog, September 10, 2026; Android Authority, 9to5Google, Android Central.*