I’m having an issue with Bitwarden Biometrics, the check box in the browser extension is grayed out.
I saw the little popup to give permission (for browser to desktop integration, I think) when I initially checked the box, but thereafter the box was empty (unchecked again) and I couldn’t select it and further and I get a message saying “Biometric unlock is unavailable because the Bitwarden desktop app is closed.”, which isn’t true; it’s in fact open.
I’m on Manjaro KDE (arch based) and installed fprintd (see arch wifi) before I started and inputed my finger prints (as seen in images below).
The following are my settings in the Bitwarden Desktop, Bitwarden Browser Extension (Brave) and KDE User Fingerprint Settings:
Note: I tried with “Require verification for browser integration” and without. Should that be turned on or off? I thought that was for Bitwarden’s digital finger print, but wasn’t sure?
Also note: sorry, it wouldn’t allow me to post more than one image, so I had to use image hosting and I couldn’t get imgur to work for something reason.
I’m not sure how to proceed since the desktop is open and everything seems to be enabled and working otherwise.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I see this on the Bitwarden Desktop now as well, after retoggeling the settings in the app and quitting and restarting etc.
It’s also greyed out.
Also, “Allow access to file URLs” is turned on in the browser extesion.
I got a little bit further by working on fprintd permissions and such (I’ll update with this later)
I have only rudimentary experience with Linux, so I’m out here - but I think, you should have a look into this GitHub issue here (especially all the comments):
opened 11:37PM - 02 Feb 25 UTC
bug
desktop
### Steps To Reproduce
1. Uninstall and clean system of any Bitwarden files
2. … Install Bitwarden desktop (`pacman -S bitwarden`) (also tested with Flatpak which doesn't work either)
3. Install polkit policy manually
4. Launch it
5. Log in
6. Open settings and enable "Unlock with system authentication"
7. Lock
8. Try to unlock with system authentication
9. KDE shows authentication pop up
10. Bitwarden does nothing after it succeeds
Manual polkit policy saved at `/usr/share/polkit-1/actions/com.bitwarden.Bitwarden.policy`:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE policyconfig PUBLIC
"-//freedesktop//DTD PolicyKit Policy Configuration 1.0//EN"
"http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/PolicyKit/1.0/policyconfig.dtd">
<policyconfig>
<action id="com.bitwarden.Bitwarden.unlock">
<description>Unlock Bitwarden</description>
<message>Authenticate to unlock Bitwarden</message>
<defaults>
<allow_any>no</allow_any>
<allow_inactive>no</allow_inactive>
<allow_active>auth_self</allow_active>
</defaults>
</action>
</policyconfig>
```
(Taken from https://github.com/bitwarden/clients/blob/main/apps/desktop/src/key-management/biometrics/os-biometrics-linux.service.ts#L14C23-L31)
### Expected Result
Bitwarden desktop can be unlocked with system authentication.
### Actual Result
Nothing happens after the system authentication dialog from KDE.
### Screenshots or Videos
_No response_
### Additional Context
**Downgrading Bitwarden desktop to version 2024.12.1 makes it work again.**
So something happened between 2024.12.1 and 2025.1.3.
(A previous edit had this as 2024.9.0, but I tested again with the release that was actually before the newest one and that also worked.)
Here are the logs from the **new version** from starting the desktop client and trying to login/lock/unlock/enable system auth:
```
❯ bitwarden-desktop
23:52:18.276 › No state version found, assuming empty state.
23:52:18.386 › Coredumps are disabled in renderer process
23:52:19.066 › State version: 69
23:52:19.385 › Retrieving application id
[SSH Agent Native Module] BITWARDEN_SSH_AUTH_SOCK not set, using default path
[SSH Agent Native Module] Starting SSH Agent server on "/home/sharparam/.bitwarden-ssh-agent.sock"
[SSH Agent Native Module] Could not remove existing socket file: No such file or directory (os error 2)
23:52:19.389 › SSH agent started
23:54:19.073 › Retrieving application id
23:54:29.049 › Retrieving application id
23:54:35.541 › Active account changed, clearing SSH keys
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.593 › Error: no result
23:54:35.597 › Error: DBus error service error org.freedesktop.Secret.Error.IsLocked: no description
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.602 › Error: no result
23:54:35.602 › SetAccessToken: storing encrypted access token in secure storage failed. Falling back to disk storage. Error: New Access token key unable to be retrieved from secure storage.
23:54:35.607 › Error: DBus error service error org.freedesktop.Secret.Error.IsLocked: no description
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_refreshToken
23:54:35.612 › Error: no result
23:54:35.612 › SetRefreshToken: storing refresh token in secure storage failed. Falling back to disk storage. Error: Refresh token failed to save to secure storage.
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.623 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.640 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.646 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.655 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.660 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.666 › Error: no result
23:54:35.666 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.673 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.680 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.868 › Error: no result
23:54:35.871 › Finished search indexing
23:54:35.872 › Error: DBus error service error org.freedesktop.Secret.Error.IsLocked: no description
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.878 › Error: no result
23:54:35.878 › SetAccessToken: storing encrypted access token in secure storage failed. Falling back to disk storage. Error: New Access token key unable to be retrieved from secure storage.
23:54:35.882 › Error: DBus error service error org.freedesktop.Secret.Error.IsLocked: no description
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_refreshToken
23:54:35.888 › Error: no result
23:54:35.888 › SetRefreshToken: storing refresh token in secure storage failed. Falling back to disk storage. Error: Refresh token failed to save to secure storage.
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.895 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:35.900 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
23:54:36.837 › Error: no result
23:54:37.025 › Starting decryption using multithreading with 8 workers for <count> items
23:54:37.153 › Finished decrypting <count> items using 8 workers
23:54:37.241 › Finished search indexing
00:01:58.857 › Retrieving application id
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
00:01:58.866 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
00:01:58.877 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
00:01:58.904 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
00:01:58.909 › Error: no result
00:01:59.125 › Starting decryption using multithreading with 8 workers for <count> items
00:01:59.242 › Finished decrypting <count> items using 8 workers
00:01:59.355 › Finished search indexing
00:02:44.062 › Retrieving application id
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
00:02:44.072 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
00:02:44.085 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
00:02:44.122 › Error: no result
falling back to get legacy Bitwarden <GUID>_accessTokenKey
00:02:44.127 › Error: no result
00:02:44.679 › Starting decryption using multithreading with 8 workers for <count> items
00:02:44.736 › Finished decrypting <count> items using 8 workers
00:02:44.831 › Finished search indexing
```
(I replaced GUIDs with `<GUID>` since I wasn't sure if they are sensitive or not.)
### Operating System
Linux
### Operating System Version
Arch Linux melina 6.12.10-zen1-1-zen #1 ZEN SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Sat, 18 Jan 2025 02:26:52 +0000 x86_64 GNU/Linux
### Installation method
Other
### Build Version
2025.1.3
### Issue Tracking Info
- [x] I understand that work is tracked outside of GitHub. A PR will be linked to this issue should one be opened to address it, but Bitwarden doesn't use fields like "assigned", "milestone", or "project" to track progress.
Just FYI in case you weren’t aware - for someone without an account there / not logged in there, it just looks like this:
After I get this popup, I click “Allow”, at which point Bitwarden locks itself. I re-login and check the settings and it’s greyed out, as mentioned above.
Note: I got this screen after uninstalling the extension and reinstalling it again, which allowed me to check the biometrics box once more.
