Switch between Bitwarden accounts quickly and easily

Account switching with Bitwarden Password Manager enables users to quickly switch between multiple accounts on their devices without needing to log out and sign back in. Users can easily access vault items from either work or personal accounts. To easily tell which account you have active, the application header displays the information for the currently active account, and a dropdown menu provides options for adding new accounts and switching between existing ones. Each account remains separate and independent with its own settings, operations, and encryption. This feature is available on desktop, mobile applications, and browser extensions except for Safari, and it can support up to 5 different accounts.

If you have multiple Bitwarden accounts, such as a personal and work account, you can now access vault items from either without having to log out and back in again. 

The header in the application shows which account you currently have active. Once clicked, it will reveal a dropdown menu with an option to add a new account and a list of other accounts you’ve logged into already. From here, you can select which account to access, with only one account active at a time.

Drop down on desktop application (above) and iOS (below).

Any vault operation, such as searching or adding vault items, occurs within the currently active account. Each account remains separate, with no interaction between them, and they are unaware of each other. This keeps everything in all of your vaults separate, clean, and private.

Add up to a total of five accounts, with any mix of cloud (including US or EU clouds) or self-hosted installations. Each operates independently with separate vault timeout and unlock settings, allowing a work account to use biometrics for unlocking while a personal account may use a PIN or other preferred method.

When you use different accounts for personal and work in your password manager, you gain the following benefits:

1. Separation of work and personal life: Keeping personal and work passwords separate helps maintain the boundaries between your professional and private life, reducing the chances of unintended work administrators accessing personal information.

2. Compliance: Many organizations require employees to use company-managed password managers for work-related activities, while personally managed password managers are acceptable for individual use. Using separate accounts ensures compliance with these regulations, while still allowing you to use one password manager for both accounts.

3. Different security measures: Companies often implement additional security measures for work-related data, such as two-factor authentication, biometric login, or advanced encryption. Using separate accounts allows you to choose different security settings that suit your needs without compromising your personal data. However, it is recommended that you adopt some of these measures for your personal account as well.

By using separate password manager accounts for personal and work, you can enjoy greater peace of mind knowing that your sensitive information is protected.

Account switching with the Bitwarden password manager is available on desktop and mobile applications and all browser extensions except Safari. For additional detailed information, visit Help: Account Switching.

Q: What is account switching?

A: Easily switch between multiple Bitwarden accounts, such as your personal and work accounts, from a dropdown list without having to log out and back in again. This provides convenient access to vault items from either account and allows you to maintain separation of personal and work vault items.

Q: How many accounts can I switch between?

A: Up to a total of five accounts are supported at once. Each account is independent from the other and can have unique vault timeout and unlock settings.

Q: Can I search for or perform other functions on items from any vault?

A: Only one account is active at a time. In order to work in another account’s vaults, it must be switched to being active.

Q: Can I select which account to autofill from?

A: Autofill will only work for the account that’s currently set as active. On mobile, the autofill screen has an option to change the active account.

Q: Does this work for self-hosted installations?

A: Yes, self-hosted installations are supported, and a mix of cloud and self-hosted accounts can be logged into at once.

Q: At work, does this mean that users can save or duplicate company logins into a personal account?

A: The accounts are separate and there’s no interaction between them. Only one is active at any time.

Q: Can I turn this off for my business?

A: The ability to switch between accounts is not governed by enterprise policies at this time. Bitwarden is evaluating feedback for future functionality.

Q: What benefit does this bring to my workplace?

A: Users have to juggle numerous passwords for their online applications and services. Whether at work and needing to check a personal banking account or at home and needing to log into a work-related application, being able to switch between Bitwarden accounts makes it easy to access both without needing to merge logins. This allows for better demarcation between personal and work.

Q: I’m on a shared computer, how can I be sure that my vault isn’t accessed by others?

A: It is best practice to fully log out of the account every time you are done. You can also add more security by adjusting your vault timeout settings to either log out or lock the vault after a short time period.

Q: Will there be a “unified experience” where I can have every account active at once?

A: Bitwarden is collecting and evaluating feedback from users about this potential feature. Bitwarden supports one active account at a time.

Q: How do I sign in to my Bitwarden accounts?

A: You can sign in to your Bitwarden accounts using your password or passkey, and then switch between them as needed.