---
title: "Google Ditches CSV Files: Android Can Now Move Passwords Between Managers in One Click"
description: "Google has implemented automatic on-device password transfer between managers in Android, without unencrypted CSV files. The feature is already supported by Google Password Manager, 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane."
date: 2026-09-11T12:20:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/android-password-transfer-between-managers
tags: [android, google, password-manager, security, credential-transfer-api]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Google Ditches CSV Files: Android Can Now Move Passwords Between Managers in One Click

![Android smartphone with Google apps on screen: new way to transfer passwords between managers without CSV files](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/11/android-perenos-parolej-mezhdu-menedzherami/android-perenos-parolej-mezhdu-menedzherami-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Android has gained automatic on-device password migration between managers, without unencrypted CSV files.
- The transfer is launched from the new manager, goes through authorization in the old one, and takes only seconds.
- The feature is already supported by Google Password Manager, 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane; others can connect via the Credential Transfer API.
- It works on Android 8.0 Oreo and newer through Google Play services, without the need for a full OS update.

Google has added automatic password migration between different managers to Android, closing one of the most vulnerable points in a user's everyday digital hygiene. Previously, switching password providers almost always meant exporting data to an unencrypted CSV file, saving it on the device or in the cloud, and then importing it into the new service — a chain in which passwords could fall into the hands of a malicious actor at every stage. The new mechanism performs the transfer directly on the device within seconds and requires no files to be downloaded onto the smartphone, significantly reducing the risk of a leak.

### How automatic migration works

The process is built on three steps. First, the user opens the new password manager and selects the option to import or copy data from another provider, after which the app hands the task over to the operating system. Next, Android itself scans the installed apps, finds existing password managers with synchronized data, and displays a list of available import sources. After tapping “Continue,” the system redirects the user to the old manager to verify their identity and authorize the transfer, after which the data migrates securely between the apps in a matter of seconds.

### Security and the move away from CSV files

The key difference of the new approach is the absence of an intermediate unencrypted file. Because the data transfer happens inside the device under the OS's control and only after explicit confirmation in the source manager, passwords never leave the secure perimeter and are never written to disk in plain text. Google emphasizes that the feature was designed so that the user has full control over their own digital data and can switch services at any moment without losing access to their accounts.

### Which services already support the feature

At the time of the announcement, the transfer is supported by Google Password Manager, 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane. For other developers, the option is provided to connect their own implementation later via the Credential Transfer API, so the list of compatible apps is, according to the company, set to grow.

### Availability: Android 8.0 and Google Play Services

The tool works on top of Google Play services and is available on all certified devices running Android 8.0 Oreo or newer versions. That is exactly why owners do not need to wait for a full-scale update of the entire operating system: the feature is rolled out through the service layer, which speeds up its delivery to end users on different smartphone and tablet models.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Android Makes Switching Between Password Managers Easier: How It Works in One Click](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/android-sprostiv-perehid-mizh-menedzherami-1789123393.html) - Подтверждает механизм переноса в один клик и отказ от CSV-файлов.
- [Switching Between Password Managers on Android Is Now One Click](https://novosti.ua/tech/android-uprostil-perehod-mezhdu-menedzherami-paroley-v-odin-klik) - Совпадает по описанию процесса и поддерживаемым сервисам.
- [Android to Introduce Access Key Transfer Between Password Managers](https://habr.com/ru/news/1081102/) - Описывает перенос ключей доступа; в заголовке использован будущий вид, что отражает момент публикации, но по сути совпадает с остальными источниками.
- [Android Can Now Move Passwords Between Managers Without Dangerous CSV Files](https://www.computerra.ru/361860/android-nauchilsya-perenosit-paroli-mezhdu-menedzherami-bez-opasnyh-csv-fajlov/) - Акцентирует безопасность и отсутствие незашифрованных CSV-файлов.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Do I need to download a CSV file to transfer passwords in Android?
**A:** No. The new mechanism performs the migration directly on the device within seconds and does not require downloading unencrypted CSV files onto the smartphone.

### Q: Which password managers already support the transfer?
**A:** At the time of the announcement, the feature is supported by Google Password Manager, 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane. Other developers will be able to add support later via the Credential Transfer API.

### Q: On which devices does the feature work?
**A:** The tool works on top of Google Play services and is available on all certified devices running Android 8.0 Oreo or newer versions, without the need for a full OS update.