Browser extension master password has a default?

My browser extensions – in both Firefox and Chrome – seem to be “remembering” a default password for the “Master Password” field to unlock.

In other words, from ANY web page/site, if the Bitwarden extension is locked, when I click on it, there are already ********** in the field. If I click the eyeball to view what is there by defalt, it’s the password from a particular site in my vault. Same one every time, and it doesn’t match the site I’m at. I have to erase it and type in my real master password to unlock.

Happens in both Chrome and Firefox, across relaunch. Any idea what causes this default entry to appear, and how I can make it stop?

Yep, you’ll need to disable the browser’s built in password manager.

1 Like

Interesting, thanks. I’d been using 1Password forever without this issue, and I had no reason to believe that Bitwarden wouldn’t coexist similarly.

But your tip led me to check my Firefox-saved passwords for the string in question, and sure enough, I found it associated with a “moz-extension://” address that corresponds to the Bitwarden extension. It never would have occurred to me to associate an autofill password with an extension URI, but when I saw that, it made sense.

I deleted moz-extension saved password from Firefox, and my problem disappeared. Is there some reason I need to disable the built in manager, other than sheer simplicity and trying to save me from myself?

Need is a strong word. However, it is highly desirable to stop web browsers seeking to store your passwords. The reason for that is that they don’t store them very securely. Exterminate that function and you have increased the security of your setup. You have a very good password manager, Bitwarden, there is no need to duplicate it with a very inferior version.