Passkeys offer a promising alternative to traditional password management. This technology is built on well-established, secure cryptographic principles, making it a solid and reliable option. The ease of use is significantly improved compared to remembering and typing traditional passwords. For those unfamiliar with passkeys, the concept involves generating a secure private key stored locally on your device, along with a corresponding public key shared with websites, services, or apps you want to access. When logging in, you authenticate on your device using a biometric lock, such as a fingerprint or Face ID, to verify ownership of the public key.
However, there is a potential issue to consider. What happens if you switch to a new device, perhaps due to a broken phone or a desire for an upgrade? In this case, a convenient and secure method is needed to transfer your private key, rather than generating a new pair and redistributing the public key. Fortunately, such a solution exists. The Credential Exchange Protocol (CXP) is an emerging industry standard, championed by the FIDO Alliance, which facilitates the transfer of private keys between devices.
Users with iOS 26 or macOS 26 devices, as well as those utilising major password managers like Bitwarden and 1Password, already have access to CXP and passkey migration. Despite being a supporter of CXP, Google has yet to officially integrate this functionality into Google Password Manager and, by extension, Android.
Google Password Manager passkey migration
Android Authority has successfully activated a hidden interface within Google Password Manager, enabling both passkey import and export. This development is significant, as CXP transfer on Android devices relies on Google Play Services and Google Password Manager to facilitate key transfers between providers. This discovery suggests that the necessary groundwork is already in place. As a result, we can expect passkey migration options to become available not only in Google Password Manager but also in other Android password managers that support passkeys, such as Samsung’s Samsung Pass.
If you are still struggling with traditional password management, now may be a good time to explore migrating to passkeys where they are supported.
