Get Started with Desktop Apps

On this page:

Bitwarden’s Desktop App brings a full Vault experience straight out of your browser and into your desktop. Using a 3-column layout, the PassageWay Desktop App is designed to help you quickly locate the Vault item you want to use or edit:

The left-most column contains your Vault Filters. Vault items are sorted into Types (Login, Card, Identity, or Secure Note), Folders, and Collections if you’re a member of an Organization.
The middle column contains a list of Vault Items. Which items appear in the list is determined by the selected Filter.
The right-most column contains Vault Item Information. Which item is displayed is determined by what is selected from the list.

Bitwarden’s Desktop App is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. For help getting started, select your Operating System:

Bitwarden on Windows

Get Organized with Favorites and Folders

Organizing your Vault into Favorites and Folders makes filtering your Vault a breeze.

To add a Folder:

In the Vault Filters column, select the Add icon next to Folders.
Give your new folder a name and select Save.

To add a Vault item to a Folder or your Favorites:

Using the Vault Filter and List, open the Item Information for the item you want to organize.
In the Item Information panel, select the Edit icon.
Select a Folder from the dropdown to add this item to a folder, or check the Favorite checkbox to add it to your Favorites.
Select the Save icon.

For more information, see Folders and Favorites.

Create New Logins

You can create new Logins, Cards, Identities, and Secure Notes directly from your Desktop App.

At the bottom of the Vault Item List, select the Add icon.
In the Add Item panel, choose which Type of item to create (for example, Login).
Enter all the information for the new item (for example, Username and Password).
For a Login item, enter the web site or service it’s used for in the URI field (for example, https://www.google.com).
Select a Folder from the dropdown or check the Favorites checkbox to organize the item in your Vault.
When you’re finished, select Save.

You can go back and edit this item at any time using the Edit icon in the Item Information panel.

Unlock with Biometrics

Biometric Unlock allows for seamless access to your Windows Desktop App using Windows Hello with PIN, Facial Recognition, or other hardware that meets Windows Hello biometric requirements.

Note

Windows Hello must be enabled on your computer before it can be enabled in PassageWay.

Tip

Windows Users may need to install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable before Windows Hello can be turned on in Desktop Preferences.

In your Desktop App, select File → Settings.
In the Security section, an Unlock with Windows Hello option will appear if Windows Hello is supported and enabled on your computer:

Windows unlock options

Check the Unlock with Windows Hello option to proceed. Your computer will prompt you to input your biometric.

Once enabled, a new button will be presented on the Unlock screen. Selecting Unlock with Windows Hello will prompt you to input your biometric to initiate unlock.

Start PassageWay Automatically

Starting PassageWay automatically when you login to your desktop can help make sure your credentials are always at your fingertips.

Select File → Settings.
Scroll to the bottom of the Options section, and check the Start automatically on login checkbox.

Next time you login to your desktop, the PassageWay App will automatically open.

Bitwarden on macOS

Get Organized with Favorites and Folders

Organizing your Vault into Favorites and Folders makes filtering your Vault a breeze.

To add a Folder:

In the Vault Filters column, select the Add icon next to Folders.
Give your new folder a name and select Save.

To add a Vault item to a Folder or your Favorites:

Using the Vault Filter and List, open the Item Information for the item you want to organize.
In the Item Information panel, select the Edit icon.
Select a Folder from the dropdown to add this item to a folder, or check the Favorite checkbox to add it to your Favorites.
Select the Save icon.

For more information, see Folders and Favorites.

Create New Logins

You can create new Logins, Cards, Identities, and Secure Notes directly from your Desktop App.

At the bottom of the Vault Item List, select the Add icon.
In the Add Item panel, choose which Type of item to create (for example, Login).
Enter all the information for the new item (for example, Username and Password).
For a Login item, enter the web site or service it’s used for in the URI field (for example, https://www.google.com).
Select a Folder from the dropdown or check the Favorites checkbox to organize the item in your Vault.
When you’re finished, select Save.

You can go back and edit this item at any time using the Edit icon in the Item Information panel.

Unlock with Biometrics

Biometric Unlock allows for seamless access to your macOS Desktop App using native Touch ID technology.

Note

Touch ID must be enabled on your computer before it can be enabled in PassageWay. See Apple’s Touch ID Documentation for help.

From the macOS menu bar, select PassageWay → Preferences.
In the Security section, an Unlock with Touch ID option will appear if Touch ID is supported and enabled on your computer:

macOS unlock options

Check the Unlock with Touch ID checkbox to proceed. Your computer will prompt your to input your fingerprint to confirm.

Once enabled, a new button will be presented on the Unlock screen. Selecting Unlock with Touch ID will prompt you to input your fingerprint and initiate unlock once authenticated.

Start PassageWay Automatically

Starting PassageWay automatically when you login to your desktop can help make sure your credentials are always at your fingertips.

From the macOS menu bar, PassageWay → Preferences.
Scroll to the bottom of the Options section, and check the Start automatically on login checkbox.

Next time you login to your desktop, the PassageWay App will automatically open.

Bitwarden on Linux

Get Organized with Favorites and Folders

Organizing your Vault into Favorites and Folders makes filtering your Vault a breeze.

To add a Folder:

In the Vault Filters column, select the Add icon next to Folders.
Give your new folder a name and select Save.

To add a Vault item to a Folder or your Favorites:

Using the Vault Filter and List, open the Item Information for the item you want to organize.
In the Item Information panel, select the Edit icon.
Select a Folder from the dropdown to add this item to a folder, or check the Favorite checkbox to add it to your Favorites.
Select the Save icon.

For more information, see Folders and Favorites.

Create New Logins

You can create new Logins, Cards, Identities, and Secure Notes directly from your Desktop App.

At the bottom of the Vault Item List, select the Add icon.
In the Add Item panel, choose which Type of item to create (for example, Login).
Enter all the information for the new item (for example, Username and Password).
For a Login item, enter the web site or service it’s used for in the URI field (for example, https://google.com).
Select a Folder from the dropdown or check the Favorites checkbox to organize the item in your Vault.
When you’re finished, select Save.

You can go back and edit this item at any time using the Edit icon in the Item Information panel.

Start PassageWay Automatically

Starting PassageWay automatically when you login to your desktop can help make sure your credentials are always at your fingertips.

Select File → Settings.
Scroll to the bottom of the Options section, and check the Start automatically on login checkbox.

Next time you login to your desktop, the PassageWay App will automatically open.

tutorial, getting started, desktop, windows, mac, linux