Migrating from LastPass to Bitwarden Step by Step: No Data Loss

Switching password managers doesn’t have to mean losing your data. With the right approach, you can transfer every login, secure note, and TOTP code from LastPass to Bitwarden without gaps. This guide covers the technical steps for developers and power users who want full control over their migration.

Prerequisites

Before starting the migration, ensure you have:

A LastPass account with your master password
A Bitwarden account (free tier works for personal vaults)
LastPass browser extension or CLI installed
Bitwarden CLI installed (bw command)

Install the Bitwarden CLI via your package manager:

# macOS
brew install bitwarden-cli

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install bitwarden

# npm
npm install -g @bitwarden/cli

Step 1: Export Data from LastPass

LastPass provides two export formats: CSV and encrypted JSON. For a complete migration, use the CSV export as it preserves more fields.

Using the LastPass CLI

If you have lpass installed, export your vault:

lpass export --format=csv > lastpass-export.csv

Using the Web Interface

Log into LastPass at lastpass.com
Go to Advanced Options > Export
Choose LastPass CSV File
Save the file to your local machine

Review the exported file to ensure all entries are present:

wc -l lastpass-export.csv
head -5 lastpass-export.csv

The CSV contains columns for URL, username, password, name, and notes.

Step 2: Handle TOTP Codes

LastPass stores TOTP secrets within the notes field or as separate entries. Extract these before migration:

# Extract entries with TOTP in notes
grep -i "otp" lastpass-export.csv | head -10

If you have many TOTP codes, use a Python script to extract and convert them:

import csv
import re

def extract_totp(notes):
    """Extract TOTP secret from LastPass notes field."""
    match = re.search(r'otpauth://[^"\s]+', notes)
    if match:
        url = match.group(0)
        secret = re.search(r'secret=([A-Z0-9]+)', url)
        if secret:
            return secret.group(1)
    return None

# Process CSV and identify TOTP entries
with open('lastpass-export.csv', 'r') as f:
    reader = csv.DictReader(f)
    for row in reader:
        totp = extract_totp(row.get('notes', ''))
        if totp:
            print(f"{row['name']}: {totp}")

Step 3: Import into Bitwarden

Bitwarden supports direct CSV import with its CLI. First, unlock your vault:

bw unlock

This returns a session key. Set it as an environment variable:

export BW_SESSION="your-session-key-here"

Format the Import File

Bitwarden expects a specific CSV format. Create a conversion script:

import csv

def convert_to_bitwarden(input_file, output_file):
    """Convert LastPass export to Bitwarden format."""
    field_map = {
        'url': 'login_uri',
        'username': 'login_username',
        'password': 'login_password',
        'name': 'name',
        'notes': 'notes'
    }

    with open(input_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f_in:
        reader = csv.DictReader(f_in)

        with open(output_file, 'w', newline='', encoding='utf-8') as f_out:
            writer = csv.DictWriter(f_out, fieldnames=field_map.keys())
            writer.writeheader()

            for row in reader:
                # Map LastPass fields to Bitwarden format
                converted = {k: row.get(v, '') for k, v in field_map.items()}
                # Ensure URL has proper prefix
                if converted['login_uri'] and not converted['login_uri'].startswith(('http://', 'https://')):
                    converted['login_uri'] = 'https://' + converted['login_uri']
                writer.writerow(converted)

convert_to_bitwarden('lastpass-export.csv', 'bitwarden-import.csv')

Run the Import

bw import --format=csv --file=bitwarden-import.csv

Verify the import count matches your export:

bw list items | jq length

Step 4: Import TOTP Codes

Bitwarden stores TOTP as a separate field. Add TOTP codes programmatically:

import subprocess
import csv
import re
import json

def add_totp_to_item(item_id, totp_secret):
    """Add TOTP code to existing Bitwarden item."""
    # First, get the current item
    result = subprocess.run(
        ['bw', 'get', 'item', item_id],
        capture_output=True, text=True
    )
    item = json.loads(result.stdout)

    # Add TOTP to the item
    item['login']['totp'] = totp_secret

    # Save back
    subprocess.run(
        ['bw', 'edit', 'item', item_id],
        input=json.dumps(item), text=True
    )

# Process TOTP entries
with open('lastpass-export.csv', 'r') as f:
    reader = csv.DictReader(f)
    for row in reader:
        # Extract and add TOTP codes
        pass  # Implementation based on your extraction logic

Alternatively, use Bitwarden’s web vault to manually add TOTP codes for critical accounts like email and banking.

Step 5: Verify Migration Completeness

Run comparison checks to ensure nothing was lost:

# Count LastPass entries
echo "LastPass entries: $(tail -n +2 lastpass-export.csv | wc -l)"

# Count Bitwarden entries
echo "Bitwarden entries: $(bw list items | jq length)"

# List Bitwarden folders
bw list folders

# List Bitwarden collections
bw list collections

Create a verification script:

#!/bin/bash

# Compare entry counts
LP_COUNT=$(tail -n +2 lastpass-export.csv | wc -l)
BW_COUNT=$(bw list items | jq '. | length')

if [ "$LP_COUNT" -eq "$BW_COUNT" ]; then
    echo "✓ Entry count matches: $LP_COUNT"
else
    echo "✗ Mismatch: LastPass has $LP_COUNT, Bitwarden has $BW_COUNT"
fi

Step 6: Configure Bitwarden CLI for Automation

Set up CLI shortcuts for daily use:

# Quick unlock with environment variable
export BW_CLIENTID="your-client-id"
export BW_CLIENTSECRET="your-client-secret"

# Sync vault
bw sync

# Generate password
bw generate --length 24 --uppercase --lowercase --number --symbol

Add to your shell profile for persistent access:

echo 'export BW_SESSION="$(bw unlock --raw)"' >> ~/.bashrc

Step 7: Browser Extension and Migration

Install the Bitwarden browser extension:

Chrome/Chromium: Chrome Web Store
Firefox: Add-ons for Firefox
Safari: Mac App Store

After installation:

Sign in with your Bitwarden credentials
Enable auto-fill in extension settings
Check “Disable auto-fill on page load” to prevent conflicts
Import browser passwords from your browser’s built-in manager

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Encoding Problems

If special characters don’t import correctly:

# Ensure UTF-8 encoding
with open('file.csv', 'r', encoding='utf-8-sig') as f:
    # Process with proper encoding

Duplicate Entries

Bitwarden prevents exact duplicates. Check for them before import:

sort bitwarden-import.csv | uniq -d

Missing Custom Fields

LastPass custom fields need manual recreation:

# List items with notes containing custom field markers
grep -i "custom field" lastpass-export.csv

Re-add these manually through the Bitwarden web interface or CLI.

Security Considerations

After migration, strengthen your security:

Rotate critical passwords: Prioritize email, banking, and social media
Enable two-factor authentication: Use YubiKey or TOTP
Audit login history: Check for unauthorized access
Delete LastPass data: Remove your vault after confirming migration success
Update recovery options: Ensure your email and phone are current

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