Google Chrome: password export and import

Google Chrome users can import saved passwords from Internet Explorer or Safari, but Google never added an option to the browser to import or export passwords using the browser's UI.

While Chrome users may use sync to synchronize their passwords to other devices they use Chrome on, users who don't use sync or want to import Chrome passwords into another browser cannot use that functionality.

This leaves browser extensions, and an experimental password import and export option. Google Chrome users could enable the flag up until recently to enable password importing and exporting.

With Google changing Chrome's interfaces and such, that option on its own is no longer functional. While it is still possible to enable the flag, the menu to export or import passwords is not linked anymore anywhere in Chrome.

There is a solution however, and this guide explains how that is done right now.

Google Chrome: password export and import

The first thing that needs to be done is to enable the flag.

1. Load chrome://flags/#password-import-export in the browser's address bar.
2. Activate the selection menu and set the flag to enabled.
3. Chrome displays a prompt to restart the web browser. Use it to restart the browser.

The feature works in Chrome for Windows, Linux, Mac and Chrome OS.

Importing or exporting passwords

All that is left to do at this point is to load chrome://settings-frame/passwords. This internal URL is not linked in Chrome, and needs to be loaded directly.

It displays all saved passwords, and options to import or export passwords. If you select export, all passwords stored in Chrome are saved to a CSV file. Note that this file is not encrypted, and that anyone with access may open it to list account information. The import accepts csv files.

One application for this is to transfer the saved passwords to another Chrome installation without using Sync. Many password managers support csv files as well, so that the passwords that are saved in Chrome can be imported so that they become available through the password manager as well.

The fate of the password export and import option of Google Chrome is unknown at this point in time. It is possible that Google is working on introducing the functionality in the material design refresh of Chrome in the future, but also that the company decides to remove the functionality completely from the browser.

Anyway, Chrome users who were wondering whether it is (still) possible to import or export passwords in Chrome, know that it is still possible now.

We will update the guide if things change again. If you noticed a change that we have not yet, let us know please by leaving a comment below, or by using the contact option instead. We appreciate that, thanks!