How to Enable the Hidden Password Import Feature in Google Chrome

The Password Migration Problem

If you are switching from Firefox to Google Chrome, or if you simply exported all your passwords from a dedicated password manager (like 1Password or Bitwarden) into a CSV file, you need a way to pull that data into Chrome. By default, Google Chrome’s built-in password manager makes it incredibly easy to export your passwords, but the button to import them is completely missing from the user interface. Google deliberately hides this feature to prevent malicious scripts from secretly injecting fake passwords into your browser. If you want to bulk import your passwords, you must manually enable the feature first.

How to Enable Password Import via Chrome Flags

You can force Chrome to display the import button by altering its experimental developer flags.

1. Open the Google Chrome desktop browser.
2. In the URL address bar at the top, type the following exactly as written:
3. chrome://flags
4. Press Enter to load the hidden dashboard.
5. In the “Search flags” box at the top of the screen, type: Password import
6. The specific experiment will highlight in yellow. Click the dropdown menu next to it (which currently says “Default”).
7. Select Enabled from the list.
8. Chrome will prompt you to apply the changes. Click the blue Relaunch button at the bottom of the screen.

How to Actually Import Your Passwords

Once Chrome restarts, the button will finally be available in the settings menu.

1. Click the three vertical dots (⋮) in the top right corner of Chrome and select Settings.
2. Click on Autofill and passwords in the left-hand sidebar, then click Google Password Manager.
3. Click on Settings in the Password Manager sidebar.
4. Scroll down to the “Import passwords” section. You will now see a bright blue Select file button that was previously invisible.
5. Click it, select your CSV file, and Chrome will instantly populate your vault.