How to migrate user accounts without forcing password resets
Identity migration guides often treat mandatory password resets as inevitable, but developers can avoid them by reusing existing password hashes during the transition. Common formats like bcrypt and PBKDF2 are self-describing and verifiable by any compatible system, meaning new platforms can validate old credentials without ever knowing the plaintext password. A lazy migration strategy carries over stored hashes and silently re-hashes each account on the user's first login, gradually modernizing the database with no user-facing disruption. For Auth0 migrations, hashes are not exposed via the Management API and must be requested through a supported bulk export process, while ASP.NET Identity hashes can typically be verified natively. Forcing a password reset is described as the most visible and alarming action during a migration, generating support load and phishing-like emails that erode user trust unnecessarily.
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