How to move passwords from iOS to Android

One of the biggest blockers to switching from iOS to Android is potentially losing all the data you've built up for years in the Apple ecosystem. But Apple does provide ways to preserve your data, even if it's not always obvious how. In the case of your iCloud keychain passwords from Safari, you can export, save, and transfer them to your new phone or to a password manager. Here's how to move passwords from iOS to Android in just a few minutes.

How to export your passwords from iPhone to Android

Unfortunately, Apple doesn't allow you to export passwords directly from your iPhone. To easily export your passwords, you'll need access to a MacBook where you can log into your iCloud account.

1. On your MacBook, open your System Preferences and log into the iCloud associated with your iPhone or iPad.

   

2. Click the Passwords icon.

3. Enter your computer account password.

   

4. Click the first password, scroll to the bottom of the list, and shift-click the last password to select your full list of saved passwords.
5. Click the ellipsis circle icon and select Export passwords.

6. Confirm you want to do this and use Touch ID to confirm again.

   

7. Rename and save your .csv file to your desktop.

You now have a universal file that your Google account or password manager can import, saving your usernames and passwords automatically. You'll also need to know how to transfer iCloud data to a Samsung phone.

How to import your iOS passwords to your Android phone

1. Sign into the Google account you used to set up your Android phone.
2. On myaccount.google.com, click the Security tab.
3. Scroll down to Signing in on other sites and select Password manager.
4. Select the Settings cog icon on the top right of the page.
5. Click Import passwords and Select File.
6. Choose the .csv file you exported.

Now, all of your iOS passwords should auto-populate fields on Chrome for Android when using your Android phone.

How to import your iOS passwords using a password manager

If you use one of the best password managers on Android, you can import a .csv file to it instead. Each app uses its own method, so we'll stick to the most popular apps.

1Password

1. Sign into your 1Password account in your browser.
2. Click on your account name and select Import from the drop-down menu.
3. Choose iCloud Passwords.
4. Decide whether to import your passwords to your Personal or Private vault.
5. Select and import your .csv file.

LastPass

1. Sign into and open your LastPass vault in your browser.
2. Click the spaceship icon in the sidebar.
3. Select Import.
4. In the drop-down menu, select Generic CSV File.
5. Now, import your file.

Dashlane

1. Sign into the Dashlane web app.
2. Select My Account > Settings > Import passwords.
3. Drag and drop your .csv file into the pop-up menu that appears.

The services you'll need

Thankfully, transferring your passwords from iOS to Android 12 doesn't require any paid apps, or even a password manager. But if you do want to better manage your passwords, we'd recommend starting with 1Password. It ties into Android's built-in password manager SDK, but also lets you easily copy-paste passwords on your phone. It can generate random solid passwords or 2FA codes, supports vaults for personal or family/work passwords, switches between them seamlessly, and loads info quickly.

Easiest to use

1Password

1Password makes importing your Apple passwords fairly easy. It has a straightforward 2FA system and is competitively priced.

$36/year (Single user Premium) $60/year (5-user Family Premium)

LastPass makes it easy to sign into a new device with a master password instead of an access key, making it more convenient than other options. It's possible to set specific passwords to only be visible to particular identities, which is incredibly useful if you have a shared family or team account. And once again, importing passwords is very straightforward.

Semi-free option

LastPass

Create, store, and secure passwords with ease using LastPass, a great option for your new Android phone.

Free (Single Device) $3/mo. billed annually (Premium) $4/mo. billed annually (Families)

Dashlane is first and foremost a well-designed, easy-to-use password manager, but these days it's also something of a one-stop-shopping experience for online data security. Dashlane Premium comes with a VPN, separate secure browser, and Dark Web Monitoring to alert you if your info shows up in a data dump.

Upgrade pick

Dashlane

If you want more than just a password manager, Dashlane bundles other cool security features for your new phone.

Free (50 passwords, single device) $4/mo. (Essentials) $7/mo. (Premium) $9/mo. (Family)

Whichever password manager you choose, you'll hopefully have an easy transition to Android! To help you along, we have a guide on the best accessories to go with your new Android phone, from chargers and cables to other useful tools.