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Bitwarden is the one vendor that doesn’t do lock in (since you can export your passkeys). Which also means you can back them up. The rest of the platforms give

Bitwarden is the one vendor that doesn’t do lock in (since you can export your passkeys). Which also means you can back them up. The rest of the platforms give you zero ability to export or back up your passkeys, which makes them worse than useless.

Longhanks 1y ago
Apple also announced passkey import and export is coming this fall with iOS 26 (and their other OSes): https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/279/ https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/279/
- diggan 1y ago
  > We'll explore key updates including [...] and the secure import/export of passkeys Have they shared any details about if this is actually cross-provider/platform import/export? I feel like if Apple doesn't outright share those details, they're talking about import/export within the Apple ecosystem.
  - dcow 1y ago
    No, in this case it is actually an industry standard: https://fidoalliance.org/specifications-credential-exchange-specifications/ https://fidoalliance.org/specifications-credential-exchange-...
    - diggan 1y ago
      Nothing of the info Apple published so far seems to indicate that they'll implement that. And again, based on the track record of Apple, feels unlikely they won't implement something on their own.
      - tzs 1y ago
        From the video cited upthread: "This transfer uses a data schema that was built in collaboration with the members of the FIDO Alliance. It standardizes the data format for passkeys, passwords, verification codes, and more data types"
    - dyml 1y ago
      I worked on this standard and we’re all excited that it’s rolling out to most of not all password managers and platforms.
- yellow_postit 1y ago
  Let’s see — Apples track record of interoperability isn’t great unless dragged by regulatory bodies. Managing private emails at scale to migrate away from Apple for instance is wildly painful.
diggan 1y ago
re Bitwarden Passkeys export/import, I found this: > Q: Are stored passkeys included in Bitwarden imports and exports? > A: Passkeys are included in .json exports from Bitwarden. The ability to transfer your passkeys to or from another passkey provider is planned for a future release. https://bitwarden.com/help/storing-passkeys/#passkey-management-faq https://bitwarden.com/help/storing-passkeys/#passkey-managem... But I'm not sure I understand the last part, how is the "ability to transfer your passkeys to another passkey provider" planned for a future Bitwarden release, if the Passkeys are already included in the export data? Wouldn't that be up to other Passkey providers to implement the import? Or is the export data not complete enough for an import?
- Uvix 1y ago
  Yes, other providers could theoretically import Bitwarden’s proprietary format. Bitwarden’s reference to a future release is regarding the standardized import/export of passkeys that is in development: https://fidoalliance.org/fido-alliance-publishes-new-specifications-to-promote-user-choice-and-enhanced-ux-for-passkeys/ https://fidoalliance.org/fido-alliance-publishes-new-specifi...
  - dyml 1y ago
    I work at bitwarden and I can confirm this. While technically you have the data, any other app need to support our json format (which they totally can, our code is open source) - but CXP (the standard) is happening this year so we’re planning on using it.
dcow 1y ago
There is an industry standard being deployed for passkey (and other credential) import/export so that everything will work together seamlessly. Most players are waiting for that so there aren’t N different formats floating around that only work with subsets of other PW managers, which is a real problem now.
- EvanAnderson 1y ago
  I'll believe it when I see it. So far I'm with the "Passkeys are for vendor lock-in" crowd and keeping my distance from them.
  - l11r 1y ago
    Apple already implemented Import/Export according to FIDO standard in their iOS 26: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/279/?time=1152 https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/279/?time=1... Standards themselves: https://fidoalliance.org/specs/cx/cxf-v1.0-rd-20250313.html https://fidoalliance.org/specs/cx/cxf-v1.0-rd-20250313.html https://fidoalliance.org/specs/cx/cxp-v1.0-wd-20241003.html https://fidoalliance.org/specs/cx/cxp-v1.0-wd-20241003.html
    - diggan 1y ago
      I tried finding anything in the transcript that mentions that import/export explicitly will be the open standards, but they seem to mention "FIDO" and import/export in different contexts, not together. Maybe I missed something?
    - EvanAnderson 1y ago
      These drafts both look reasonable. I wasn't aware they'd progressed beyond vaporware and I'm pleasantly surprised.

Longhanks 1y ago

Apple also announced passkey import and export is coming this fall with iOS 26 (and their other OSes): https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/279/ https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/279/

diggan 1y ago
> We'll explore key updates including [...] and the secure import/export of passkeys Have they shared any details about if this is actually cross-provider/platform import/export? I feel like if Apple doesn't outright share those details, they're talking about import/export within the Apple ecosystem.
- dcow 1y ago
  No, in this case it is actually an industry standard: https://fidoalliance.org/specifications-credential-exchange-specifications/ https://fidoalliance.org/specifications-credential-exchange-...
  - diggan 1y ago
    Nothing of the info Apple published so far seems to indicate that they'll implement that. And again, based on the track record of Apple, feels unlikely they won't implement something on their own.
    - tzs 1y ago
      From the video cited upthread: "This transfer uses a data schema that was built in collaboration with the members of the FIDO Alliance. It standardizes the data format for passkeys, passwords, verification codes, and more data types"
  - dyml 1y ago
    I worked on this standard and we’re all excited that it’s rolling out to most of not all password managers and platforms.
yellow_postit 1y ago
Let’s see — Apples track record of interoperability isn’t great unless dragged by regulatory bodies. Managing private emails at scale to migrate away from Apple for instance is wildly painful.

diggan 1y ago

re Bitwarden Passkeys export/import, I found this: > Q: Are stored passkeys included in Bitwarden imports and exports? > A: Passkeys are included in .json exports from Bitwarden. The ability to transfer your passkeys to or from another passkey provider is planned for a future release. https://bitwarden.com/help/storing-passkeys/#passkey-management-faq https://bitwarden.com/help/storing-passkeys/#passkey-managem... But I'm not sure I understand the last part, how is the "ability to transfer your passkeys to another passkey provider" planned for a future Bitwarden release, if the Passkeys are already included in the export data? Wouldn't that be up to other Passkey providers to implement the import? Or is the export data not complete enough for an import?

Uvix 1y ago
Yes, other providers could theoretically import Bitwarden’s proprietary format. Bitwarden’s reference to a future release is regarding the standardized import/export of passkeys that is in development: https://fidoalliance.org/fido-alliance-publishes-new-specifications-to-promote-user-choice-and-enhanced-ux-for-passkeys/ https://fidoalliance.org/fido-alliance-publishes-new-specifi...
- dyml 1y ago
  I work at bitwarden and I can confirm this. While technically you have the data, any other app need to support our json format (which they totally can, our code is open source) - but CXP (the standard) is happening this year so we’re planning on using it.

dcow 1y ago

There is an industry standard being deployed for passkey (and other credential) import/export so that everything will work together seamlessly. Most players are waiting for that so there aren’t N different formats floating around that only work with subsets of other PW managers, which is a real problem now.

EvanAnderson 1y ago
I'll believe it when I see it. So far I'm with the "Passkeys are for vendor lock-in" crowd and keeping my distance from them.
- l11r 1y ago
  Apple already implemented Import/Export according to FIDO standard in their iOS 26: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/279/?time=1152 https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/279/?time=1... Standards themselves: https://fidoalliance.org/specs/cx/cxf-v1.0-rd-20250313.html https://fidoalliance.org/specs/cx/cxf-v1.0-rd-20250313.html https://fidoalliance.org/specs/cx/cxp-v1.0-wd-20241003.html https://fidoalliance.org/specs/cx/cxp-v1.0-wd-20241003.html
  - diggan 1y ago
    I tried finding anything in the transcript that mentions that import/export explicitly will be the open standards, but they seem to mention "FIDO" and import/export in different contexts, not together. Maybe I missed something?
  - EvanAnderson 1y ago
    These drafts both look reasonable. I wasn't aware they'd progressed beyond vaporware and I'm pleasantly surprised.