How to Set Up and Use NordPass: Import Your Passwords in 15 Minutes (2026)
How to Set Up NordPass: The Short Version
To set up NordPass, create a Nord Account with a strong master password, install the NordPass browser extension and the phone app, then import your saved passwords — from Chrome, another browser or another password manager — via Settings > Import items. Delete the exported file once the import is confirmed, turn on biometric unlock on your phone, and (on Premium) run Password Health to find weak and reused passwords. The whole job takes about 15 minutes; each step is below.
Stop Reusing Passwords — Set Up NordPass in 15 Minutes
NordPass is a zero-knowledge password manager from the NordVPN team that stores, generates, and auto-fills strong unique passwords across all your devices. This tutorial walks you through setup, importing your existing passwords, and running a security audit to fix weak and reused credentials.
Difficulty: Beginner | Estimated time: 15 minutes
Step 1: Create Your NordPass Account
NordPass offers a free tier that covers basic password storage on one device at a time, and a Premium tier that adds multi-device access, the Data Breach Scanner, Password Health, secure sharing, file attachments and email masking (NordPass's own plan comparison, checked 30 September 2026). Premium carries a 30-day money-back guarantee. Premium is cheapest on the longest term; we do not quote a figure because NordPass's pricing is promotional and regional and renews above the introductory rate — check its own page for what it charges you.
To create your account: 1. Visit NordPass website 2. Choose Free or Premium — you can start with Free and upgrade later 3. Enter your email and create a master password
Critical: Your master password is the only password you need to remember. Make it strong — at least 12 characters with a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. NordPass uses zero-knowledge encryption, meaning they cannot recover your vault if you forget this password.
If you already have a NordVPN account, you can use the same Nord Account credentials for NordPass.
Get NordPass — Free or Premium →Step 2: Install the Browser Extension
NordPass works through browser extensions that auto-fill credentials on login pages and offer to save new passwords as you create accounts.
Install for your browser:
- Chrome: Search "NordPass" in the Chrome Web Store and click "Add to Chrome"
- Firefox: Search "NordPass" in Firefox Add-ons and click "Add to Firefox"
- Safari: Download NordPass for Mac from the App Store — the Safari extension is included
- Edge: Search "NordPass" in the Edge Add-ons store
- Brave: Use the Chrome Web Store version — Brave supports Chrome extensions
Install on mobile:
- iOS: Download "NordPass" from the App Store. Go to Settings > Passwords > AutoFill Passwords > enable NordPass
- Android: Download "NordPass" from Google Play. Go to Settings > System > Languages & input > Autofill service > select NordPass
Step 3: Import Passwords From Your Browser or Other Manager
NordPass can import passwords from Chrome, Firefox, Safari, 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane, Bitwarden, and most other managers.
Import from Chrome (most common): 1. Open Chrome and go to chrome://password-manager/settings 2. Click "Download file" under "Export passwords" — this creates a CSV file 3. Open NordPass > Settings > Import items 4. Select "Google Chrome" as the source 5. Upload the CSV file 6. NordPass imports all credentials
Import from another password manager: 1. Export your passwords from the current manager (usually Settings > Export) 2. Open NordPass > Settings > Import items 3. Select the source manager from the dropdown 4. Upload the exported file
Important security step: After confirming all passwords imported correctly into NordPass, delete the exported CSV file. It contains your passwords in plain text and should not remain on your device.
After import: NordPass organises your credentials automatically. Duplicates are flagged for review. You can manually organise passwords into folders if desired, but auto-organisation works well for most users.
Step 4: Enable Biometric Login on Mobile
Typing your master password every time you need a password on your phone is tedious. Biometric login lets you unlock NordPass with Face ID, Touch ID, or fingerprint — maintaining security without friction.
iOS: 1. Open NordPass > Settings > Security 2. Enable Face ID or Touch ID 3. Confirm with your master password
Android: 1. Open NordPass > Settings > Security 2. Enable Fingerprint unlock 3. Confirm with your master password
Desktop (Windows Hello / macOS Touch ID): 1. Open NordPass desktop app or browser extension 2. Settings > Security > enable biometric unlock 3. Confirm with your master password
Biometric login is encrypted locally — your biometric data is never sent to NordPass servers. It simply unlocks the locally encrypted vault on your device.
Step 5: Run the Password Health Scanner
This is the most important step after importing. The Password Health scanner analyses your entire vault and identifies security issues. Note that Password Health is a Premium feature — NordPass's plan comparison lists it, with the Data Breach Scanner, under Premium rather than Free. On the free plan, work through the reused-password problem by hand instead: our guide to password reuse and credential stuffing explains which accounts to fix first.
How to run it: 1. Open NordPass > Password Health (in the sidebar) 2. Wait for the scan to complete — it checks every stored credential
What it checks:
- Weak passwords: Under 8 characters or lacking complexity
- Reused passwords: The same password used on multiple accounts
- Old passwords: Not changed in over 12 months
- Breached passwords: Found in known data breach databases
Pro tip: Fix reused passwords first — these are the highest risk. If one account using that password is breached, every account sharing it is compromised.
Set your expectations realistically rather than by someone else's numbers: on a vault imported from years of browser-saved logins, the scanner will typically surface a substantial cluster of reused passwords, a smaller group of weak ones, and a handful flagged as breached. Work down the reused list first and treat the rest as a background task — you do not need to fix everything in one sitting, and the security gain is heavily front-loaded in that first group.
Read our full review: NordPass Review 2026
What to Do Next
After setup, NordPass works invisibly in the background:
- New accounts: When you sign up for a new service, NordPass offers to generate and save a strong password automatically
- Existing logins: When you visit a saved site, NordPass auto-fills your credentials
- Breach alerts: Premium users receive notifications when a stored credential appears in a new data breach
- Passkeys: For sites supporting passwordless authentication, NordPass stores and manages passkeys
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NordPass free to use?
Yes. The free plan includes autosave and autofill, secure storage, password import and multi-factor authentication, but works on one device at a time. Multi-device access, Password Health, the Data Breach Scanner, secure sharing and email masking are Premium features.
How do I import my Chrome passwords into NordPass?
In Chrome, open chrome://password-manager/settings and download the export file under "Export passwords". In NordPass, go to Settings > Import items, choose Google Chrome and upload the file. Delete the CSV afterwards — it holds your passwords in plain text.
Can I use my NordVPN account for NordPass?
Yes. NordPass uses the same Nord Account, so you sign in with your existing NordVPN credentials and then create a separate master password for the vault.
What happens if I forget my NordPass master password?
NordPass uses zero-knowledge encryption, so it cannot recover your vault for you. Choose a master password you will remember — at least 12 characters with mixed character types — and store any recovery option NordPass offers somewhere safe.
Should I keep passwords saved in my browser as well?
Once everything is in NordPass and working, turn off the browser's own password saving so you are not keeping two copies. Our comparison of browser-saved passwords vs a password manager explains the trade-off.
Still comparing password managers? Our best password manager 2026 guide sets NordPass against the alternatives, and the Password Managers category collects every comparison and guide.
See NordPass's Free and Premium Plans →NorwegianSpark Editorial — Written with AI assistance and reviewed by the NorwegianSpark SA editorial team. Tutorials are independently written and regularly updated.
