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How to Export Chrome Passwords to a Password Manager

📅 June 24, 2025 • ⏱️ 7 min read • ✍️ SterJo Software • 📂 Chrome

Stored hundreds of passwords in Chrome and ready to move to a proper password manager? The process is straightforward — Chrome has a built-in export function, and every major password manager can import the resulting file. This guide walks through the whole process from start to finish.

Whether you're switching to KeePass, Bitwarden, 1Password, Dashlane, or any other manager, the steps are nearly identical: export from Chrome, import into the new manager, verify everything transferred, then delete the export file. We'll cover each step, plus a fallback method for cases where Chrome's built-in export doesn't work.

Quick Answer: Export Chrome Passwords in 3 Steps

  1. Go to chrome://password-manager/passwords in Chrome
  2. Click the ⚙️ settings icon → Export passwords
  3. Save the CSV file, then import it into your password manager

📖 In This Guide

Method 1: Export Chrome Passwords Using Chrome's Built-in Tool

This is the recommended first approach. Chrome can export all saved passwords to a CSV file directly from its settings.

Step 1: Open Chrome's Password Manager

Type the following address directly into Chrome's address bar and press Enter:

chrome://password-manager/passwords

This opens Chrome's built-in password manager showing all saved credentials.

Step 2: Open Export Settings

Click the settings icon (⚙️) in the top right corner of the password manager page. In older Chrome versions, look for a three-dot menu (⋮) instead.

Step 3: Export Passwords

  1. Click Export passwords.
  2. Chrome may ask you to confirm your Windows account password or PIN for security.
  3. A Save dialog opens — choose a location and save the file as Chrome Passwords.csv.
  4. Save to a USB drive or a secure location — not your desktop or Downloads folder where it could be accidentally shared.

⚠️ Important: The exported CSV contains all your passwords in plain text. Treat it like a document containing your bank PIN. Delete it immediately after importing into your password manager.

What the CSV File Contains

The exported file has four columns: name (website name), url, username, and password. Every password manager that supports CSV import can read this format directly.

Method 2: SterJo Chrome Passwords (If Chrome's Export Doesn't Work)

In some situations Chrome's built-in export is unavailable — for example if Chrome is managed by a work policy, if you can't remember your Windows account password to confirm the export, or if you need to export from a Chrome profile on a different Windows account.

SterJo Chrome Passwords reads the Chrome password database directly and lets you export without going through Chrome's settings.

🔍 SterJo Chrome Passwords

Free • Portable • Exports to HTML and CSV

  • Instantly reveals all usernames and passwords saved in Chrome
  • Export to CSV (importable into any password manager), TXT or HTML
  • No installation required
  • Works on Windows 7 through Windows 11

Download SterJo Chrome Passwords (Free) →

Importing Chrome Passwords into KeePass

KeePass is the most popular free, offline password manager. Importing your Chrome CSV takes about one minute.

  1. Open KeePass and go to File → Import.
  2. Select CSV (Generic) from the format list.
  3. Select your Chrome CSV file.
  4. Map the columns: Title = name, URL = url, UserName = username, Password = password.
  5. Click OK. All entries are imported into your KeePass database.

📘 Tip: KeePass also has a Chrome CSV import plugin called "ChromePassExport" that handles the column mapping automatically. Search the KeePass plugins directory for it.

Importing Chrome Passwords into Bitwarden

Bitwarden (free tier is excellent) has native support for Chrome CSV imports.

  1. Log in to vault.bitwarden.com in your browser.
  2. Go to Tools → Import Data.
  3. Select Google Chrome (csv) from the format dropdown.
  4. Click Choose File and select your exported Chrome CSV.
  5. Click Import Data. All passwords appear in your vault immediately.

Importing Chrome Passwords into 1Password

  1. Open 1Password and go to File → Import.
  2. Select Google Chrome as the source.
  3. Select your CSV file and choose which vault to import into.
  4. Click Import.

What to Do After Exporting

Once you've successfully imported all passwords into your new password manager and verified they're all there, do the following:

  1. Delete the CSV file immediately. Right-click it and choose Delete, then empty the Recycle Bin. A CSV with all your passwords sitting on your desktop is a serious security risk.
  2. Disable Chrome's password saving (optional). Go to chrome://settings/passwords and turn off Offer to save passwords. Going forward, your password manager handles everything.
  3. Install your password manager's browser extension. This replaces Chrome's built-in autofill with the new manager's autofill, so you don't accidentally save new passwords back into Chrome.
  4. Verify the import. Check 5–10 entries at random in your new manager to make sure they transferred correctly.

Comparison: Chrome Export vs SterJo Chrome Passwords

FeatureChrome Built-in ExportSterJo Chrome Passwords
Requires Chrome to be open✅ Yes❌ No
Works with managed/corporate Chrome⚠️ Sometimes blocked✅ Yes
Exports to CSV✅ Yes✅ Yes
Export to HTML❌ No✅ Yes
No installation needed✅ Yes (Chrome is already installed)✅ Yes (portable)

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Back Up All Passwords Before Reinstalling

Exporting Chrome is just one part of a full pre-reinstall backup. See the complete checklist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chrome's export option is greyed out — what do I do?

This usually happens on company-managed Chrome installations where the policy disables password export. Use SterJo Chrome Passwords as an alternative — it reads the password database directly and isn't affected by Chrome policies.

Will exporting delete my passwords from Chrome?

No. Exporting creates a copy of your passwords in a CSV file. Your original passwords remain saved in Chrome until you manually delete them. You can safely import into a password manager first, verify everything, and then clear Chrome's saved passwords afterwards.

Is the exported CSV file encrypted?

No. The CSV file Chrome exports contains passwords in plain text. This is necessary for other applications to import them, but it also means the file is readable by anyone who can access it. Delete it immediately after importing.

Can I import the CSV into both KeePass and Bitwarden?

Yes. The Chrome CSV format is a standard that most password managers support. You can import the same file into multiple managers if needed, though most people choose one and stick with it.

What happens to passwords I save in Chrome after switching to a password manager?

Chrome continues saving new passwords unless you turn off the feature in settings. It's best to disable Chrome's password saving once you've switched, and install your new password manager's browser extension to handle autofill instead.

Does this work for passwords synced via Google account?

Yes. Chrome exports all passwords visible in its password manager, including those synced from your Google account. The export captures everything in the local Chrome profile at the time you run it.

Make the Switch Cleanly

Moving from Chrome's built-in password storage to a dedicated password manager is one of the best security improvements you can make. The process takes about five minutes. Export your passwords using Chrome's built-in tool or SterJo Chrome Passwords, import into your manager of choice, and delete the CSV file straight away.

Download SterJo Chrome Passwords Free →

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💡 Quick Tip

Use SterJo Browser Passwords to export Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera passwords all at once in a single CSV — ideal if you use multiple browsers.