The missing piece of the puzzle for Passkeys: Apple provides the prospect of export function

Apple users can export their passkeys soon. The manufacturer at WWDC 2025 for the iOS, IPADOS and MACOS 26 operating systems, which appeared in autumn. For the first time, it is possible to move the passwords stored in the iCloud keybund or in Apple’s password app into another password management. Exporting passwords and one-off codes is also supported, Apple emphasized-as well as an import.

The new transfer process is also safer than the previous way to save the sensitive access data in plain language in a JSON or CSV file.

FIDO specification for safe Passkey export

According to Apple, a procedure specified by the FIDO alliance is used for the safe transfer process. Apparently meant the credential Exchange Protocol (CXP) and the credential Exchange Format (CXF), which the Allianz presented last autumn. It should enable direct exchange of access data between two password management. To do this, both sides must support the specification.

Apple provides for it New interfaces readythat can integrate the apps. Existing passkeys are not changed by the transfer process and can be continued seamlessly, promises the company. Password managers such as 1 password have already announced that it will support the specification, and many other known names are also involved, according to Fido, including Bitwarden, Dashlane, Google and Microsoft.

Passkey silos prevented distribution

Passkeys are designed as a safer alternative to passwords and should replace them in the long term. So far, however, the technology has remained an isolated solution, since Passkeys are locked in the silos of large password managers and are mainly among the integrated services of the platform providers Apple, Google or Microsoft.

Passkeys could also be used across platforms, for example through Google’s password management integrated in Chrome, but there are many stumbling blocks and by no means everyone wants to entrust their access data to the cloud of an IT giant. A standardized working export and import function could in future provide more Passkeys acceptance if users are able to take their complete access data really seamlessly from one password management.