How to Switch Password Managers Without Losing Anything
By Harshil Kachhadiya · Updated · 4 min read
Switching password managers is mostly an export, an import, and some careful cleanup. The risky part is the plain-text file in the middle, so handle it with care.
Step 1: Export from your current manager
Most password managers can export your vault as a CSV or JSON file from their settings. Exports are almost always unencrypted, so do this on a device you trust, not a shared or public computer, and close other apps first.
Step 2: Import into Padlock
Padlock imports CSV and JSON files from the dashboard. Passwords are encrypted in your browser with your vault key before anything is saved, so the server only ever receives ciphertext, even during a bulk import.
If you are new, sign in with Google, create your master password, and unlock your vault before importing.
Step 3: Check your entries
Open a handful of important accounts and confirm the site, username, and password came across correctly. Some managers store secure notes, custom fields, or TOTP secrets in ways that do not map cleanly to a CSV, so look for anything missing.
Step 4: Delete the export file
The export is a readable list of every password you own. Delete it as soon as you have verified the import, and empty the recycle bin or trash. Then delete or close the vault in the old manager once you are confident nothing is missing.
Step 5: Clean up
Use the vault health check to find weak, reused, and old passwords that came across, and replace the worst ones first. A move is a good moment to rotate the passwords for your email, banking, and other high-value accounts.