Python Fix ProtonPass Entries

Fri 2025/03/28 Python python / protonpass

Overview

• installation: see https://arrizza.com/setup-common.html

Summary

This project checks the content of ProtonPass entries and double checks for various values that are missing or duplicated, etc. See below for a full list of warnings and how to fix them.

How to use

• login to ProtonPass and export all data
  • select Personal or whichever Vault you use
  • click settings
  • click Export
  • click "JSON"
  • click Export
  • enter your password
  • should create a "Proton Pass_export_YYYY-MM-DD.zip" file
• NOTE: move (don't copy) to ./data directory!
• NOTE: when you are done with .zip file, delete it!
• run it

./doit

Typical output:

Found data/Proton Pass_export_2025-03-27.zip
<snip>
---> Checking for duplicate urls/websites
<snip>
---> Checking for duplicate passwords
<snip>

Stats:
   num entries         :   99
   num dup entries     :    0      <== should be 0! 
   urls/websites       :  124
   url errs            :    0      <== should be 0!
   username/email errs :    1      <== should be 0!
   dup passwords       :   74      <== should be 0!

Check and fix all warnings

only "android" is supported

I only have access to Android (Samsung) phones. I cannot check how ProtonPass interacts with iPhones, etc.

multiple entries found

In ProtonPass do a search for the entries.

• ensure the passwords are the same. If they're not, check which entry is the correct one for the site by logging in.
• also check the email/username content are consistent. If not check which entry is correct and delete the extra one.
• Sometimes the difference is only the list of websites. Merge these by cut-n-paste the extra websites into one of the entries.

no email or username provided

• check what the correct username should be. Fill in the username field in the entry.
• if an email is used, check what the email should be. Fill in the email field in the entry.

email and username are the same

• check the website. If it uses both email/username, you can leave the entry as is or choose one of them
• if the website uses email, delete the username field content
• if the website uses username, delete the email field content

no website provided

• enter the correct website for the signin/login

mobile app has url

• check if the mobile app uses/need an url.
• if not, delete the website
• some mobile apps do use a url, leave it as is

Same url reused in these entries

• if multiple entries use the same website/url, it is likely there are duplicate entries.
• check which entry needs the website/url, remove the other website/url

Same password reused in these entries

To change a duplicate password

• Login to the site with the old password.
  • very useful to use ProtonPass at this point.
  • Click on the "Website" listed in the entry and ensure that gets you to the the correct login screen for the site
• save the old password
• click on the old password to copy it to clipboard
• navigate to the site's page to change your password. Usually in Settings
• They usually ask for the old password. Enter it now from the clipboard
• Go back to ProtonPass
  • click Edit on the entry
  • click on the Password circling-arrows icon
  • you should get a dialog that shows a Strong password
    • choose either "Random Password" or "Memorable Password"
    • to change it: click "Memorable Password", then select "Random Password"
  • click on "Fill Password"
  • click on "Save"
  • at this point, the entry will indicate it has a Strong password which will be unique across all your entries
• go bask to the site's change password page, and enter the new password, usually twice to confirm
  • Since the Strong password typically uses "special characters", you may have to repeat this process to get one with a valid set of characters.
• If ProtonPass shows a dlg box to "Update this Login", don't do that!
  • You will lose the password you entered above.
  • Why? Some sites change page you're on, before you can click on the ProtonPass dlg box to save the new password This, more complicated, technique ensures you don't have to worry about that scenario. If you don't, then it is possible that you won't know the new password since it was in the dlg box but not saved to the ProtonPass database yet.
• sign out (log off) of the website
• go back to the login page
• use ProtonPass to login. This will use the new password.
• If any issues, login with the old password and try this again

Check if these are valid mobile apps

In the ProtonPass, there is an indication for entries that are for mobile apps.

These are listed here. If they are valid mobile apps then check them. If they're valid, leave them alone. If not, determine if they can be deleted, .e.g. try to log in with the named mobile app.