Account AccessLog In & UnlockMore Unlock Options
Unlock With Biometrics
Bitwarden Password Manager mobile apps, browser extensions, and desktop apps can be configured to accept biometrics as a method to unlock your vault. Unlocking Password Manager is, importantly, different than logging in to it.
Biometric features are part of the built-in security in your device and/or operating system. Bitwarden leverages native APIs to perform this validation, and therefore Bitwarden does not receive any biometrics information from the device.
Complete the following steps to allow your account to be unlocked with biometrics. If you're logged in to multiple accounts, you'll need to set this up for each:
To set up unlock with biometrics for your mobile device:
In your device's system settings (for example, the iOS Settings app), make sure your biometric method is turned on.
In your Bitwarden app, open the Settings tab, choose the Account security menu, and tap the biometric option your want to enable. What's available on this screen is determined by your device's hardware capabilities and what you have previously turned on (Step 1):
Biometric unlock on mobile
Tapping the option will prompt you to input your biometric (for example, face or thumb-print). The toggle will fill in when unlock with biometrics is successfully set up.
To set up unlock with biometrics for your desktop app:
In your device's system settings (for example, the macOS System Preferences app), make sure your biometric method is turned on.
tip
Windows users may need to install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable before Windows Hello can be turned on in desktop preferences. Note that, the first time you activate Windows Hello on your machine, a required "Making sure it's you" prompt may appear in the background or timeout if not confirmed:
Windows Hello prompt
In your Bitwarden app, open your Settings (on Windows or Linux, File → Settings) (on macOS, Bitwarden → Settings) and scroll to the Security section.
Select the biometric option you want to enable. What's available is determined by your device's hardware capabilities and what you've turned on (Step 1):
Unlock with biometrics toggle
On MacOS, toggle the Ask for Touch ID on app start option if you want to automatically be prompted for biometrics when the desktop app is launched from a closed state.
note
Windows and Linux desktop apps will always require use of a master password or PIN for unlock when launched from a closed state, so this option is not available on those operating systems.
If you use Windows, Linux, or don't toggle on the Ask for Touch ID on app start option, use the Unlock with Touch ID button on the unlock screen to use your biometric:
Unlock desktop with biometric
Unlock with biometrics is supported for browser extensions through an integration with the Bitwarden desktop app. In practical terms, this means:
For all browser extensions, you will need to enable unlock with biometrics in desktop before proceeding.
For all browsers except Safari, the Bitwarden desktop app must be logged in and running in order to use unlock with biometrics in a browser extension.
Browser extensions inherently support the same biometrics options as desktop apps. Refer to the Desktop tab in this document for more information.
There are two steps to enabling biometrics for browser extensions, activating the integration and activating extension biometrics:
Activate desktop integration
tip
If you're using Safari, you can skip straight to the Activate extension biometrics section.
In the Password Manager desktop app:
Set up unlock with biometrics on your desktop app. For help, refer to the Desktop tab in this document.
In your desktop app settings (on Windows, File → Settings) (on macOS, Bitwarden → Settings), scroll down to the App Settings (All Accounts) section and toggle on Allow browser integration:
Allow browser integration
warning
On macOS, you may encounter an error if your username directory (e.g. /Users/your_username/Library/...) is longer than 104 characters. If you encounter this. error, shorten your username (e.g. your_username).
Optionally, toggle on the Require verification for browser integration option to require a unique fingerprint verification step when you activate the integration.
Activate extension biometrics
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Some browsers, notably Chrome & Chromium-based browsers like Brave or Edge, may require you to activate an additional permission for the integration to work properly:
Using the web browser address bar, navigate to the extensions manager (e.g. chrome://extensions or brave://extensions).
Open the Bitwarden entry on this page and toggle the Allow access to file URLs option.
In the Password Manager browser extension:
Open the Settings tab, choose the Account security menu, and toggle on the Unlock with biometrics option on:
Toggle on unlock with biometrics
tip
Browser extensions except those running on Safari may ask you to accept a new permission for Bitwarden to communicate with cooperating native applications. This permission is safe, but optional, and will enable the integration that is required to enable unlock with biometrics.
Declining this permission will allow you to use the browser extension as normal, but without unlock with biometrics.
When prompted, input your biometric in the desktop app to complete the setup procedure. If you previously toggled on the Require verification for browser integration option, you'll need to confirm a fingerprint as well.
Optionally, toggle on the Ask for biometrics on launch option if you want the browser extension to automatically prompt for your biometric when it is launched.
If you don't toggle on the Ask for biometrics on launch option, you can now unlock the browser extension using the Unlock with biometrics button:
Browser extension biometric unlock is supported for extensions on Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Opera, Brave, and more), Firefox 87+, and Safari 14+. Biometrics is currently not supported for:
Firefox ESR (Firefox v87+ will work).
Microsoft App Store desktop apps (a side-loaded Windows desktop app, available at bitwarden.com/download will work fine).
Side-loaded MacOS desktop apps (an App Store desktop app will work fine).
Using the extension in Safari
Browser extensions used in Safari exhibit a few differences compared to browser extensions in other browsers:
In Safari, unlock with biometrics can be used when the desktop app is closed or logged out. In all other browsers, the desktop app must be running and you must be logged in.
In Safari, you do not need to manually complete the Activate desktop integration steps. In all other browsers, you need to toggle an option to activate the integration.
In Safari, you won't need to accept a communicate with cooperating native applications permission. In most other browsers, you will need to allow this permission.
