Moving saved passwords between applications can be straightforward. The exported file, however, deserves more attention than an ordinary spreadsheet.
Firefox can export saved login information to a CSV file. Mozilla explicitly warns that the passwords in that file are readable and are not encrypted.
A sensible migration therefore includes three stages: prepare the destination, transfer and verify the data, and remove the temporary export when it is no longer needed.
Prepare before creating the export
Decide which application will receive the login data and confirm its supported import format.
Also identify the browser profile or account containing the intended records. A computer used for several purposes may hold separate sets of logins, and exporting the wrong collection creates unnecessary work.
Prepare the destination first so the readable file does not remain on disk while the migration is postponed.
Choose a deliberate temporary location. Avoid treating the export as an ordinary attachment to be emailed between devices.
Understand what the file contains
Mozilla’s export guidance states that anyone able to view the exported file can read its passwords. It advises against uploading, emailing, or sharing the file and recommends deleting it when finished.
The CSV extension describes a data format, not a security feature.
Renaming the file or placing it in an obscure folder does not change the fact that its contents are readable. The practical priority is to minimize unnecessary copies and keep the transfer controlled.
Do not paste its contents into a support ticket or online conversion service when troubleshooting an import.
Follow the destination’s import workflow
Mozilla documents importing login data into Firefox from a CSV file through its import controls or password-management menu. The imported data is not automatically acquired merely because another browser or file exists on the computer.
For another destination application, use that application’s documented process.
Avoid casually editing the export in a spreadsheet before the first import attempt. An unnecessary transformation can change values or make it harder to distinguish an export problem from an editing problem.
If an import fails, record the reported error without exposing the passwords themselves.
Verify useful records, not only a success message
After import, inspect several representative entries.
Choose accounts with different usernames, multiple saved logins for one service, and any entries particularly important to the migration. Confirm that the destination associates each username with the correct website.
Then test ordinary sign-in behavior using accounts the owner controls.
A successful import message establishes that a process ran. It does not necessarily demonstrate that every intended record is usable or that the correct source collection was selected.
Keep the original password store available until that verification is complete.
Finish the transfer deliberately
Once the destination works, remove the temporary CSV and check whether extra copies were created during the process.
Consider the download location, transfer folder, and any synchronized folder that may have received a copy. Deleting one visible instance does not automatically account for all copies made elsewhere.
Finally, record which application is now the maintained password store. Continuing to update two independent collections can create uncertainty about which entry is current.
A password migration is complete when the destination works and the temporary readable export has served its purpose. The cleanup belongs to the migration itself.
Sources: Mozilla: Export login data · Mozilla: Import login data from a file
