Chrome is one of the most Popular web browsers in the desktop and smartphone environment. it is filled with features and security patches that make it extremely popular among users. Earlier, the option to manage your passwords was not built into the browser.
It was in late 2017 that Google incorporated this feature within Chrome. Here I shall discuss how to import passwords to Chrome easily.
A Brief History
Until recently, Chrome did not support importing or exporting your passwords from within the browser. Instead, users had to rely on third party services or extensions which could be downloaded from the web store. this was very inconvenient for the users, as they would have to invest in a separate app for managing their passwords.
There was a workaround, which involved changing the chrome://settings-frame/passwords flag status, which allowed importing the passwords. Or else, it could be done via a cmdlet, by entering the chrome.exe -enable-features=PasswordImport command in the command line interpreter.
While these options were available, it was not popular among users. this was due to the fact that anybody with keylogger access would be able to get a hold of your passwords by simply changing a Chrome flag or entering a simple command.
With the recent updates of Google Chrome, the methods provided above also does not seem to work. while exporting passwords is easy, importing your password still remains a painful job in Chrome.
How To Export Passwords From Chrome? Simple Method
Google Chrome has built in support for exporting your passwords to a CSV file. this menu can be accessed from the settings panel, and here are the steps you need to follow:
- Open Google Chrome on your computer.
- Enter the following location in the address bar of Google Chrome:
chrome://settings/passwords - Next to the Saved Passwords section, click on the three dots hamburger menu to reveal an additional menu.
- Here, select Export passwords… option.
- Enter your Windows 10 username and password to verify your credentials.
- Finally, select a location and save the password as a CSV file locally.
Import Passwords To Chrome – 2 Simple Methods
When it comes to importing passwords to Google Chrome, there are two methods that you can try, depending on what the situation is and from where you want to import the passwords. Check out both the methods provided below, and select the one according to your choosing.
Method 1: Use Import Data Option To Import From Other Browsers
If you wish to import your passwords from other browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft edge, you can use the import data option to import passwords to Chrome. do not that this method cannot be applied to import passwords from a CSV file, for which you need to check method 2 provided below.
To access this setting, simply type the following in the Chrome address bar:
Chrome:\\settings\importdata
Next, select the browser that you want to import data from, by using the drop-down menu provided.
Make sure that the checkbox next to Saved passwords is checked and click on the Import button to import your data from other web browsers or bookmark files.
Method 2: Change Chrome Flags
Why this option has not been incorporated within the stable edition of Google Chrome is something beyond our understanding, but you can change a simple flag to import your passwords from a CSV file to Google Chrome. here are the steps that you need to follow for the same:
- Open Google Chrome on your computer.
- enter the following text in the address bar have Google Chrome to go directly to Chrome flags:
chrome:\\flags - Within Chrome flags, click on the search bar and type import to search for Password Import flag.
- Once this flag is visible, click on the drop-down menu next to it.
- Select Enabled from the drop-down menu.
- Click on the Relaunch now button that appears after you change the flag.
Upon relaunching Google Chrome when you navigate to chrome://settings/passwords, you will get an Import option upon clicking on the three-dot hamburger menu.
Wrapping Up
While difficult, it is possible to import passwords to Chrome. now you know how to manage passwords and backup Chrome passwords using the built-in password manager. one thing you should keep in mind is that the Chrome password manager is not particularly secure, so make sure to make security your priority then accessing the Internet. comment below if you found this useful, and to discuss further the same.
Daniel_Laixer says
Method 2 is broken with Chrome 93.
Those flags don’t exist.
alex levy says
agreed. Cant seem to find that particular flag. not sure what to do.