How to leave LastPass and move to another password manager

Ever since LastPass announced that it was tweaking its free tier to only allow a single category of device — mobile or computer — there’s been a lot of interest in finding alternatives among LastPass users. Luckily, once you do find an alternative, it’s pretty easy to pull your data from LastPass and upload it to another password manager.

What follows are instructions on how to download your LastPass data, and where to find instructions from several popular password managers that will help you upload that data to their services.

Export your LastPass data

LastPass allows you to export your data as a CSV or an XML file. If you’re planning to move that data to another service, then CSV is the far better choice. Since CSV stands for comma-separated values and is a plain text file, it’s a good idea not to hold on to it once you’ve moved your data to another password manager — or to put that file in a secure place where it can’t be easily read by someone else.

Before you start, you should be aware that the best (and really only way) you can export your data from LastPass is from its browser extension on a desktop or laptop computer. (You can technically do it from LastPass’ website, but as I’ll explain, it’s more trouble than it’s worth.) If you haven’t downloaded the extension for your browser (links for which are at the bottom of the ), go ahead.

Ready?

• Click your extension icon and proceed to “Account Options” > “Advanced” > “Export” > “LastPass CSV File”

Grid View

• 
  
  
  
  From your LastPass browser extension, click on Advanced….
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  …Export…
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  …LastPass CSV File
  
  

• You’ll be asked to put in your master password to continue. If you think you may be interrupted at some point, and you’re working in a safe place (like a home office), feel free to ask it not to prompt you again for up to 24 hours.

That’s it! LastPass will immediately download your CSV file.

If you really, really don’t want to install the browser extension, here’s how you can get your info from the LastPass website”

• Go to and sign in to your account.
• Click on “Advanced Options” in the left-hand menu.
• Click on “Export” and enter your Master Password if asked.
• If your experience is anything like mine, you should then see a comma-delimited list of all your passwords on a separate webpage. You can select all the content of the page by going to your top menu and selecting “Edit” > “Select All.” You can then copy the data and paste it to a text page using a word processor or other text app.

Once you’ve downloaded your info, you can upload it to the password manager of your choice. There are a variety out there, free and otherwise, and we’ve included a sampling below, along with their starting prices (if any) and links to their instructions on how to import your data. But first, we’re assuming that you’ll want to eventually delete your passwords from LastPass. Here’s how.

Delete your LastPass account

Once you’ve chosen your new password manager (and we strongly success you live with it for at least a week or so first), you can delete your account and data from LastPass.

• Click on the red “Delete” button.
• Where you go from here depends on whether you remember your master password. If you do remember it, click on “Yes.” You’ll be given one last chance to download your data, will be asked to enter your master password, and asked why you are deleting your account. Then click on Delete.

• If you don’t remember your master password, click on “No.” You’ll be given a chance to download your data and asked for your email address. You’ll be sent an email with a link that will let you delete the account.

In either case, remember there is no rush to delete your account. Make sure that you have a useable copy of your passwords and a new password manager that you’re satisfied with first.

Alternative password managers

What follows is a list of some alternative password managers and where you can find instructions for importing your LastPass data.

Bitwarden

KeePass

• Free version? Yes
• Paid features start at $2.50 / month and include encrypted storage, additional password sharing, emergency access, live password tracker, others.
• Instructions for importing from LastPass

1Password

• Free version? Yes
• Paid features start at $23.88 / year and include syncing across devices, cloud backup, two-factor authorization, shared folder, and others.
• Instructions for importing CSV files. (Note: RoboForm has specific instructions for importing LastPass files to Windows and Mac systems; however, they include statements that separate apps are needed to export data from LastPass, which is no longer the case.)

Zoho Vault

• Free version? Yes
• Paid features start at $10.80 / year and include secure password sharing, password expiration alerts, cloud backup, and others.
• Instructions for importing CSV files