Apple is finally addressing one of the biggest hurdles in its push toward a password-free future: getting your passkeys out of the Apple ecosystem. With iOS 26 and its companion updates across macOS Tahoe, iPadOS 26, and visionOS 26, users will soon be able to export and import passkeys—and even traditional passwords and 2FA codes—securely and seamlessly across apps and platforms.
For those who’ve embraced passkeys as a more secure, phishing-resistant alternative to traditional passwords, one major issue has persisted: lock-in. Until now, passkeys created within Apple’s Keychain were effectively walled off. They synced easily between iPhones, iPads, and Macs, but moving them to Android, Windows, or even independent credential managers like 1Password or Bitwarden was nearly impossible without resorting to clunky workarounds—if at all.
This lack of interoperability wasn’t just Apple dragging its feet. It was a broader challenge faced by the entire tech industry as the FIDO Alliance—made up of Apple, Google, Microsoft, and key password manager players—worked to design a standardized, secure method for passkey portability that wouldn’t compromise their core promise: end-to-end encryption and phishing resistance.
Now, Apple’s implementation of a FIDO-certified system promises just that. Unlike traditional password exports, which often involve dumping your credentials into plain-text CSV or JSON files (a major security risk), this new approach keeps everything encrypted and controlled. Passkey data is transferred directly between apps—or between Apple’s system Keychain and third-party apps—using a secure, local authentication step (like Face ID or Touch ID) to verify the user.
The process is encrypted throughout, and there’s no intermediary file lingering on your disk. It’s not only safer but also easier to use, addressing the longstanding tension between user convenience and high-level security.
In Apple’s WWDC25 demo, the company highlighted that the feature isn’t just about passkeys—it also supports the secure transfer of traditional passwords and verification codes. More importantly, it opens up real choice: users can now pick their preferred credential manager and take their digital identities with them, regardless of platform.
For users who’ve been reluctant to embrace passkeys due to fears of being locked into Apple’s ecosystem, this update removes a key barrier. And for those already managing accounts across multiple platforms, it makes Apple’s passkey system feel like a real part of the broader, platform-agnostic vision of the passwordless future.
The feature will roll out publicly later this year, giving users and developers alike a more flexible, secure way to manage digital credentials—without the compromises of the past. For a deep dive into the technical framework behind the new system, Apple’s “What’s New in Passkeys” session is now live on the Apple Developer site.
