How to Transfer Saved Passwords to a New PC

Getting a new computer is exciting — but transferring your saved passwords is a step most people forget until they're sitting in front of a fresh Windows install with no logins. Unlike files and photos, passwords are scattered across browsers, the system, and email clients. This guide pulls everything together into one clear migration process.

The process has two phases: export from the old PC, then import on the new one. You'll need a USB drive and about 20 minutes. Everything below is free.

Step 1: Transfer Browser Passwords (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera)

Browser passwords are the most important and the easiest to transfer. You have two options: use browser sync (if you use the same account on both PCs) or manually export a CSV file.

Option A: Browser Sync (Easiest — No Files Needed)

• Chrome: Sign into Chrome with your Google account on the new PC. All passwords sync automatically within minutes.
• Firefox: Sign into Firefox Sync on the new PC. Passwords appear in Firefox's password manager automatically.
• Edge: Sign in with your Microsoft account on the new PC. Passwords sync via Microsoft account.

Sync is the fastest method if you use the same browser account. However, it only covers one browser at a time and depends on having internet access.

Option B: Export to CSV (Works for Any Browser, Any Situation)

SterJo Browser Passwords exports all browser passwords from Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera in a single CSV file — the most thorough approach.

How to Export Browser Passwords on the Old PC

1. Download SterJo Browser Passwords to a USB drive.
2. Run it on the old PC — all browser passwords appear immediately.
3. Click File → Save As CSV and save to the USB drive.
4. Take the USB drive to the new PC.

Step 2: Transfer Wi-Fi Passwords

Your new PC won't know any of your saved Wi-Fi networks. Unless you're near all the routers and can type in the passwords, you need to export them from the old PC first.

1. Run SterJo Wireless Passwords on the old PC.
2. All saved Wi-Fi networks and their passwords are listed.
3. Export to a text file on the USB drive.
4. On the new PC, use the text file as a reference when connecting to each Wi-Fi network.

Step 3: Transfer Windows Credential Manager Entries

Windows Credential Manager stores passwords for mapped network drives, Remote Desktop connections, and some applications. These are often forgotten until something stops working on the new PC.

Export the credentials list to your USB drive. On the new PC, re-add each entry manually through Windows Credential Manager (Control Panel → Credential Manager) using the exported reference list.

Step 4: Transfer Email Client Passwords

If you use a desktop email client — Outlook, Thunderbird, Windows Mail — your email account passwords are stored locally and won't transfer automatically. Use SterJo Mail Passwords to export them from the old PC before you hand it over or wipe it.

Note: You'll need the exported passwords and the server settings (IMAP/SMTP server addresses, ports) to reconfigure your email accounts on the new PC. SterJo Mail Passwords exports all of this together.

Step 5: Transfer Software Product Keys

While you're at it — before the old PC is wiped or returned — export all your software license keys. SterJo Key Finder retrieves Windows, Office, Adobe, and 10,000+ other software product keys in seconds.

Importing on the New PC

Browser Passwords

• Chrome: Go to chrome://password-manager/passwords → ⚙️ → Import passwords → select CSV.
• Firefox: Menu → Passwords → ⋮ → Import from a File → select CSV.
• Edge: Go to edge://password-manager/passwords → ⚙️ → Import passwords → select CSV.
• Password manager (Bitwarden, KeePass): Use the import function within the manager, selecting "Chrome CSV" or "Generic CSV" as the format.

After Importing

1. Verify a sample of passwords imported correctly by checking a few entries in the password manager.
2. Delete the CSV files from the USB drive once everything is confirmed — they contain plain text passwords.
3. Connect to each Wi-Fi network on the new PC using the exported Wi-Fi password list.
4. Reconfigure email clients using the exported account settings.
5. Install software and activate using the exported product keys.

📚 Related Guides

Make the Move Without Losing a Single Password

Getting a new PC doesn't have to mean hours of re-entering lost passwords. Run the export tools on your old PC before you do anything else — it takes 20 minutes and ensures everything follows you to the new machine cleanly.

Download SterJo Browser Passwords Free →