Encrypted Exports

Vault data can be exported in an encrypted JSON file. In most Bitwarden apps, these exports are encrypted using your account's encryption key, which are generated on account creation and unique to each Bitwarden user account. The CLI has a unique option to encrypt the file with a specified password.

Encrypted exports will include all vault data, including logins, cards, secure notes, and identities. An encrypted export of the following plaintext login item:

{
      ...
      "login": {
        "username": "mylogin",
        "password": "mypassword",
        "totp": "otpauth://totp/my-secret-key"
      },
      ...

Will look something like:

{
      ...
      "login": {
        "username": "9.dZwQ+b9Zasp98dnfp[g|dHZZ1p19783bn1KzkEsA=l52bcWB/w9unvCt2zE/kCwdpiubAOf104os}",
        "password": "1o8y3oqsp8n8986HmW7qA=oiCZo872b3dbp0nzT/Pw=|A2lgso87bfDBCys049ano278ebdmTe4:",
        "totp": "2CIUxtpo870B)*^GW2ta/xb0IYyepO(*&G(&BB84LZ5ByZxu0E9hTTs6PHg0=8q5DHEPU&bp9&*bns3EYgETXpiu9898sxO78l"
      },
      ...

Create an Encrypted Export

Creating an encrypted export follows the normal export procedure. When prompted for File Format, select .json (Encrypted):

Web Vault

To export your personal data from the web vault:

1. Select Tools from the top navigation bar.

2. Select Export Vault from the Tools menu.

3. On the Vault Export page, choose a File Format (.json, .csv, or .json (Encrypted)).

   tip

   If you need to import this data into a new Bitwarden account, choose the regular .json format (not .json (Encrypted)).

4. Enter your Master Password and select the Export Vault button.

Browser Extension

To export your personal data from a browser extension:

1. Open the  Settings tab.

2. Scroll down to the Tools section and select the Export Vault option.

3. On the Export Vault view, choose a File Format (.json, .csv, or .json (Encrypted)).

   tip

   If you need to import this data into a new Bitwarden account, choose the regular .json format (not .json (Encrypted)).

4. Enter your Master Password and select Submit.

note

If you're exporting from Vivaldi, you may need to pop-out the browser extension for export to work properly:

Desktop

To export your personal data from a desktop app:

1. From the menu bar, navigate to File → Export Vault.

2. In the Export Vault window, choose a File Format (.json, .csv, or .json (Encryped)).

   tip

   If you need to import this data into a new Bitwarden account, choose the regular .json format (not .json (Encrypted)).

3. Enter your Master Password and select the  Download button.

Mobile

To export your personal data from a mobile app:

1. Tap the  Settings tab.

2. Scroll down to the Tools section and tap the Export Vault option.

3. On the Export Vault view, choose a File Format (.json, .csv, or .json (Encrypted)).

   tip

   If you need to import this data into a new Bitwarden account, choose the regular .json format (not .json (Encrypted)).

4. Enter your Master Password and tap the Export Vault button.

CLI

To export your personal data from the CLI, use the export command. By default, export will export your Vault as a .csv and save the file to the working directory, however this behavior can be altered using options:

bw export --output /users/me/documents/ --format json --password mYP@ssw0rd

The --password option can be used to specify a password to use to encrypt encrypted_json exports instead of your account encryption key.

For more detail, see our CLI documentation.

Import an Encrypted Export

Importing an encrypted export follows the normal import procedure. When prompted for File Format, select .json:

Web Vault

To import data to your vault:

1. Log in to the web vault at https://vault.bitwarden.com, or https://your.bitwarden.domain.com if self-hosting.

2. Select Tools from the top navigation bar.

3. Select Import Data from the Tools menu.

4. From the format dropdown, choose a file format.

5. Select Choose File and add the file to import or copy/paste the contents of your file into the input box.

   warning

   Importing does not check whether items in the file to import already exist in your vault, so importing multiple files or files with items already in your vault will create duplicates.

6. Select Import Data to trigger the import.

7. After successful import, delete the import source file from your computer. This will protect you in the event your computer is compromised.

File attachments will need to be manually uploaded to your vault.

CLI

To import data to your vault from the CLI, use the following command:

bw import <format> <path>

bw import requires a format (use bw import --formats to retrieve a list of formats) and a path, for example:

bw import lastpasscsv /Users/myaccount/Documents/mydata.csv

After successful import, delete the import source file from your computer. This will protect you in the event your computer is compromised.