Unlock With Biometrics
Quickly and securely access your vault with biometrics in the desktop app, browser extension, and mobile app. After logging in with your standard method, like a master password or trusted device, unlock your vault with biometrics.
Biometric features are part of the built-in security in your device and/or operating system. Bitwarden never receives your biometrics data, because the feature uses native APIs to perform the validation on your local device.
tip
Security settings are set per account. To turn on biometric unlock for multiple accounts, like individual and organization accounts, repeat these steps for each one.
Set up biometrics for desktop app
To set up biometrics in the desktop app:
Set up unlock with biometrics for Windows via Windows Hello using PIN, facial recognition, or other hardware that meets Windows Hello biometric requirements. This option is supported in the Windows desktop app when it’s installed from Bitwarden Downloads. If the desktop app was installed from the Microsoft Store, biometrics will not work.
note
After biometrics are configured for the Windows desktop app, you still need to log in with a master password or PIN. Once logged in, use Windows Hello to unlock your vault.
To turn on biometric unlock:
Turn on Windows Hello in your device’s system settings.
note
If you are unable to turn on Windows Hello in your device settings, install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable.
Download the Bitwarden desktop app from Bitwarden Downloads (if you haven’t already). Bitwarden desktop app installs from the Microsoft Store do not support biometric unlock.
Open the Bitwarden desktop app and go to File → Settings.
Under Security, check Unlock with Windows Hello.
The first time you use Windows Hello on a device, you may be asked to verify that it’s you in a background window. Complete the security confirmation.
Set up biometrics for browser extension
The ability to unlock your vault with biometrics is supported on these browsers:
Chromium-based browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Brave
Firefox 87+ (Firefox ESR is not supported.)
Safari 14+
To set up biometrics on the browser extension or a mobile device:
There are two steps to enabling biometrics for browser extensions: activate the integration and activate extension biometrics.
1) Activate the integration
First, open the Bitwarden desktop app and update the settings:
Turn on unlock with biometrics in the Bitwarden desktop app.
Open the Bitwarden desktop app Settings. (For Windows and Linux, go to File → Settings. For macOS, go to Bitwarden → Settings.)
Check 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.(Optional) Check Require verification for browser integration to ask for fingerprint verification every time the integration between the desktop app and browser extension is activated.
2) Activate extension biometrics
note
Some browsers, notably Chrome and Chromium-based browsers like Edge and Brave, may require an additional permission for biometrics 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 on Allow access to file URLs.
Next, remain logged in to the Bitwarden desktop app and open the Bitwarden browser extension. To turn on unlock with biometrics for the browser extension:
Select the Settings icon.
Select Account security.
Check Unlock with biometrics.
You may see a prompt asking permission for Bitwarden to “communicate with cooperating native applications.” Select Allow.
note
This permission is required for the browser extension to unlock with biometrics. If you decline, you can continue using the browser extension, but unlock with biometrics will not work.
Go to the desktop app and there:
Select Approve to verify the browser connection.
Enter your biometric when prompted.
(Optional) If you previously turned on Require verification for browser integration, enter your fingerprint when prompted.
(Optional) Check Ask for biometrics on launch to use biometrics when the browser extension first opens, skipping the initial unlock screen.
Set up biometrics for mobile
Unlock with biometrics is supported on Android (Google Play or FDroid) via fingerprint unlock or face unlock and on iOS via Touch ID and Face ID. To set up unlock with biometrics for your mobile device:
Turn on the biometric method in your device’s system settings, like the iOS Settings app.
Open the Bitwarden app and tap the Settings icon.
Tap Account security.
Tap Unlock with Face ID or Unlock with Biometrics. (What’s available is based on your device’s hardware capabilities and what you previously turned on in your device’s system settings.)
Enter your biometric when prompted, like your face or fingerprint. The toggle will fill in when unlock with biometrics is successfully set up.
Use unlock with biometrics
To access your vault with the Windows or Linux desktop app:
Log in with a master password or PIN.
Select Unlock with Windows Hello or Unlock with system authentication:
Unlock with Windows Hello Enter the biometric you configured.
note
When you first open or restart the Windows and Linux desktop apps, the biometrics option will be greyed out. Unlock the vault with your standard method, like the master password or PIN. After that first log in and unlock, you can use biometrics to unlock your vault.
Troubleshooting
If a “Biometric unlock disabled pending verification of your master password” error appears:
Temporarily turn off autofill in Bitwarden.
Follow the steps above to set up biometrics in Bitwarden.
Turn autofill back on within Bitwarden.