Import from another password manager
Bring back a Remem JSON export whole, or bring passwords, cards and notes across from a CSV or Bitwarden JSON export, and 2FA codes from another authenticator.
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Settings → Import passwords reads three kinds of file: a JSON export from Remem, an unencrypted Bitwarden JSON export, and CSV files, which are read by their column names rather than by which app made them. Import only adds items; nothing already in your vault is changed.
Bring back a Remem JSON export
- Open Settings → Import passwords and choose the
remem-export-….jsonfile. It can be up to 64 MB. - Read the preview. It says how many items are ready to add and how many are already in this vault and will be skipped, and it lists anything that will be left out.
- Select Import entries.
- Delete the export file and empty the Trash. Remem reminds you: “Delete the plaintext export now — it holds every secret in that vault in the clear.”
- Every item comes back whole: every field, note, tag, imported folder, favourite, logo and history entry. Groups you made on another Mac don’t come across.
- Items get new identities in this vault. Items that are already here are skipped, so importing the same file twice does no harm.
- Links between items (such as a login paired with a code item) are kept when both items are in the file. A link to an item that isn’t in the file is dropped, and the preview names it.
- How often each item was used starts again at zero.
- The preview points out CLI profiles, because they set environment variables for commands you run. Check them before use.
- A file can hold up to 50,000 items. The import is all or nothing: if it stops, nothing is added.
Only import a Remem file you made
The Import passwords card says it plainly: “Only import a Remem file that you, or your own Remem, made.” A file from someone else can add items, and CLI profiles, you didn’t write.
Import from another password manager
- In your old password manager, export an unencrypted CSV, or for Bitwarden, an unencrypted JSON. Encrypted Bitwarden exports are refused.
- In Remem, open Settings → Import passwords and choose the file. It must be 10 MB or smaller.
- Check the preview: “N entries ready (x cards, y notes). z unrecognized entries skipped.” If the count looks wrong, a column wasn’t recognised; see the list below.
- Select Import entries, or Cancel.
- Check your items, then delete the export file and empty the Trash.
Importing twice makes duplicates
For CSV and Bitwarden files, importing the same file again creates a second copy of everything.
From CSV, Remem brings across logins, one-time codes, cards and notes. Identities and SSH keys come across only from Bitwarden JSON, which also brings logins with all their website addresses, 2FA codes and custom fields, secure notes, cards, folders (as Collections) and favourites.
Column names Remem understands
Column names are matched without regard to capitals. A row with no password, card, code or note is skipped.
| Remem field | Column names |
|---|---|
| Title | name, title |
| Username | username, login_username, email |
| Password | password, login_password |
| Website | url, website, login_uri |
| One-time code | totp, otp, one-time code, login_totp, totp secret, one-time password, otpauth |
| Notes | note, notes, extra |
| Tags | tags, tag |
| Collection (folder) | collection, folder, group, grouping |
| Favourite | favorite, favourite, fav |
| Type | type, template, category, record type |
| Card number | card number, number, card_number, number of card, cardnumber |
| Security code | cvv, cvc, security code, card_cvv |
| Expiry | expiry, expiration, expiry date, card_expiry, expirydate |
| Cardholder | cardholder, cardholder name, name on card, cardholdername |
We haven’t tested these against every app’s real export, so always check the preview count. If an app names a column differently, renaming that header in a spreadsheet to one of the names above before importing makes Remem read it. 1Password’s 1PUX format isn’t supported; export CSV from 1Password instead.
Import 2FA codes from another authenticator
- In your authenticator app, export your codes as an unencrypted JSON file.
- In Remem, open Settings → Import and select Choose an export file.
- Each code becomes its own One-time code item; nothing already in your vault changes. Any entry Remem can’t read is listed by name.
- Delete the export file now: it holds every one of those secrets in the clear.
The reader was written against 2Stable Authenticator’s export and accepts similar JSON from other apps. Encrypted exports and Google Authenticator’s transfer QR codes (otpauth-migration://) aren’t supported. For those, add each code by scanning its QR code; see Add logins, codes and other secrets.
What if…
“No password, card, code or note columns found.”
The file’s first row doesn’t have any column name Remem recognises. Check it is a password export, then rename the headers to the names above.
“The CSV has an unfinished quoted field. Export it again.”
The file is damaged or was cut short. Export it again from the other app.
“This file is too large to be an export.”
This appears for any file over 64 MB, the most a Remem export can be. Any other export over 10 MB gets “Choose an export smaller than 10 MB.”
I have an encrypted backup rather than an export
Use Settings → Encrypted backup → Restore from backup… instead; see Back up your vault.
Was this missing something? Write to hello@remempass.org.