Biometrics to unlock vault option on Android doesn't exist when installed in professional user profile

THE ISSUE

The option to use/activate the fingerprints (biometrics) to unlock the vault is not offered when running the Android app from the professional profile, while it does in the “personal” profile.

CONTEXT

Want to deploy Bitwarden Android App from the Managed Play Store using Intune.

In the app I installed and ran from my personal profile, the option is available. I suspected the apps were different whether they were installed from the public store or the managed store. Hereunder are both app urls which point to the same app ID.

MANAGED PLAY STORE - Appstore URL
[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.x8bit.bitwarden]

PUBLIC PLAY STORE - Appstore URL
[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.x8bit.bitwarden]

Out of curiosity, I decided to launch the app from the managed play store, in effect I run it from the prof. profile.I noted my vault wasn’t there, thus confirming this instance of the app is running under the prof profile, not the personal one.

After adding the vault, I checked the parameters, the option to unlock using biometrics was not available.

While if I launch the app from the “personal” user profile, both my personal and my pro vaults are listed there and I can unlock them using the fingerprints.

BOTTOM LINE: it appears whether the app is launched from the standard user VS the pro account it doesn’t offer the same functionality.

Any hint on what could be happening and to fix this? :expressionless:

This is an android thing, you have to add your fingerprint to the work profile. Your phone may vary but on my Pixel 6 it’s in Security & Privacy > More Security Settings > Fingerprint Unlock for Work and once I registered a fingerprint in there the option should show up in the Bitwarden app.

2 Likes

Great spot jdbaur. I’ve been playing with Intune enrolment and Biometric app protection policies and couldn’t get further than Outlook, OneDrive etc. asking for a PIN. It would never ask for the fingerprint. I never even knew Fingerprint Unlock for Work was a thing. Just added it and now it asks for the fingerprint instead of the Pin

I salute you!

Mike

2 Likes

On my end, in the settings, the toggle “Use same biometrics for work as for the personal profile” is ON and still, that won’t work. But at least, I know what to look for.
Thank you Justin. Very much appreciated.