Why Passkey Portability Changes the Password Game
Passkeys replace traditional passwords with a pair of cryptographic keys: a private key stored securely on your device and a public key held by the website or app you log into. You authenticate locally with biometrics or a device code, and the passkey proves your identity without ever exposing a password. This makes phishing far harder and login much faster. The catch used to be portability. Moving passwords between apps was easy, but you could not transfer passkeys between apps, effectively locking you into one password manager or ecosystem. That barrier is finally falling. Thanks to specifications developed by the FIDO Alliance and the Credential Exchange Protocol (CXP), major platforms and password managers now support passkey import and export. As passkey portability becomes standard, you can embrace passkeys without worrying that changing devices or switching password managers will strand your logins.
Apple Passwords: How to Export Passkeys to Another App
Apple’s Passwords app now lets you transfer passkeys between apps, solving one of the biggest adoption hurdles. To export, first install and configure your new password manager on the same device that already holds your passkeys in Apple Passwords. Open the Passwords app, go to its home screen, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, and choose “Export Data to Another App.” You can select only logins that have passkeys or simply select all saved items. Tap Continue to reach the Export Passwords page, then Continue again. You’ll see a list of compatible password managers that support passkey import. Pick the destination app, confirm, and your passkeys will move across. On a Mac, the same feature lives under File > Export Selected Items to App, making it straightforward to migrate from Apple’s built-in manager to a third-party tool.
Apple Passwords: How to Import Passkeys from Other Managers
Importing passkeys into Apple Passwords works in reverse, but the process usually starts in your existing password manager. Open that app and find its export feature, which is often tucked away in advanced or security settings. Some managers let you export selected passkeys; others require exporting your full set of saved credentials. Once you trigger export, you’ll encounter the same Export Passwords system interface used by Apple Passwords. Tap Continue, then choose Apple’s Passwords app from the list of supported destinations and confirm again. On a Mac, you can instead use File > Import Passwords from File if your current manager creates a compatible export file. After import, your passkeys live in Apple Passwords alongside any existing passwords, so you can log in with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode while staying free to move your data again later if you change tools.
Google Password Manager and Android: Passkey Import and Export Arrive
On Android, Google Password Manager is gaining its own passkey import and export capabilities, built on the same Credential Exchange Protocol. A hidden interface discovered in Google Password Manager already shows options to both import and export passkeys, indicating that the necessary groundwork is in place inside Google Play Services. Because Android relies on Google’s implementation of CXP to move keys between providers, this update is crucial. Once it’s fully rolled out, you’ll be able to transfer passkeys between apps such as Google Password Manager and other Android-compatible managers, including options like Samsung Pass. This means you can adopt passkeys on Android without fear of being stuck with one vendor. When migrating, you’ll use your current manager’s export option and then choose the new app as the destination, similar to Apple’s workflow, keeping your authentication credentials intact as you switch tools or devices.
How to Choose a Password Manager in the Era of Passkey Portability
With passkey import and export becoming standard across Apple, Google, and major third-party apps, you can finally choose a password manager based on features rather than lock-in. Look for managers that explicitly support passkeys and CXP-based passkey migration, so you can transfer passkeys between apps whenever your needs change. Evaluate cross-platform support, browser integrations, and how well the app handles both traditional passwords and passkeys during this transition period. Passkey portability also makes password manager switching less stressful: you can try a new service knowing you can bring your authentication credentials with you and move them again later. As more websites adopt passkeys, storing them in a portable, standards-compliant manager ensures you’re not tied to one ecosystem or device. The future of secure login is passwordless, and portable passkeys give you the freedom to adopt that future on your terms.
