I have the latest version of Bitwarden (Version 2024.3.0 (21897) from the App Store) running on macOS 14.4
The last few days I’ve noticed that Bitwarden prevents my MacBook from shutting down or restarting, the only way to proceed with a shutdown/restart is to Force Quit Bitwarden. I haven’t seen this before. Anyone know why this is happening and how I can fix it?
(PS: Using Force Quit is never a great idea since any unsaved data, syncing etc. could be lost)
On reading your message I shut down my computer, the Bitwarden app being open. I saw the unexpected message that Bitwarden was preventing shutdown, so I chose “Try again” and after a delay requiring a little patience, it completed without needing to use kill (Force Quit). That did not work for you?
Bitwarden version 2024.3.0 with Sonoma 14.3.1 on Intel i9.
FWIW I have the same version of BW desktop app 2024.3.0 and same MacOS 14.4 on my M1 Macbook Air.
It shuts down without any issue, even with the desktop app open and unlocked.
TBH I usually just sleep by closing the lid so I don’t normally shutdown, but now I just tried and it shuts down normally.
Like you, I normally just lock screen and close, so my MacBook had been running a long time since the last restart. Having restarted earlier as described, I just tried again. This time there was no hesitation or message.
I am not inclined to blame Bitwarden at the moment.
Having the same problem on my macOS. Bitwarden doesn’t close, even when I right click and choose Quit.
Same problem here on Mac M2. Noticed it on 14.4 and 14.4.1 didn’t fix it. Bitwarden Support’s suggestion to remove and reinstall didn’t fix it. This is becoming tiresome.
Thank you for the replies, it’s strange that this problem only affects some users. I hope a Bitwarden developer might come up with a solution.
Experimentally, I logged in to the Bitwarden app, then quit. In running processes (Activity Monitor - search bitwarden, sort by process) there was no evident difference. After quitting I clicked on the menu bar icon and Bitwarden came up immediately, open and logged in. Safari was open and its share extension logged in at the time.
Leaving aside that I need to explore to understand the above a little more, the fact it does not entirely quit is not a unilateral cause of the shutdown problem, or else everyone would encounter it. There is an interaction somewhere, either with App settings or with the Safari extension.
I should have mentioned that my default browser is Firefox (ver 124.0.1), I appreciate your help.
I’m facing the same issue.
Bitwarden: 2024.3.0 (21897)
macOS: 14.4
Default Browser: Velja (browser picker)
There is an option on Mac called Close to Menu bar. Unchecking this allows the App to quit normally.
This is indeed a bug, as such an option should still allow for a graceful shutdown
@raphant, the original problem raised by @Cy1 was that Bitwarden prevented shutdown. My options include minimising to menu bar on close, hence the fact Bitwarden does not actually quit. However, this does not prevent shutdown on my machine, as I tested again moments ago. Therefore the problem has more to it than setting that option.
I worked through the options in Settings paying attention to Close & Minimize to menu bar, if Close to menu bar is checked then Bitwarden does not quit. When un-checked, closing the Bitwarden window quits the application instead of closing the window.
Hopefully a Bitwarden developer can look into this.
Many thanks for your help 
Cy1, for a developer to look at it they will need unambiguous statements (and a bug report). I read your original problem as Bitwarden blocking shutdown. That Bitwarden does or does not quit in the circumstances of your last post is, to my knowledge and experience, expected behaviour. Further, we know from this thread that some people on both Intel and M chips do not experience the shutdown block.
If you have a wholly consistent issue with shutdown being blocked (and Retry not working after alert) and can characterise each circumstance clearly, you could submit a bug report. The suggested bug is “Bitwarden blocking shutdown in MacOS Sonoma”, not “MacOS Bitwarden will not quit”, a different thing. The first is a failure to respond to a kill call from the OS, the second an apparent Settings option in Bitwarden.
Yeah, this issue has been running for some weeks now
Thank you, I will raise a bug report.
Same issue here: Bitwarden interrupts restart repeatedly on macOS 14.4.1 (23E224) , try again doesn’t help. Bitwarden cannot be quit from menu Bitwarden > Quit Bitwarden (Command + Q) when “Close to menu bar” setting is active.
Hi there,
While your communication style might come across as a bit unfriendly and patronizing, as a fellow developer, I appreciate your efforts to help narrow down the Bitwarden problem and assist the developers.
Here’s the key point: If the app not quitting issue is resolved, the shutdown issue will likely be resolved as well. From a developer’s perspective, it’s usually best to fix the root cause of a problem whenever possible, rather than just addressing the side effects.
My suggestion: “MacOS Bitwarden won’t quit” seems more accurate than “Bitwarden prevents shutdown,” as not shutting down is a consequence of the app not quitting, as @blsk has shown.
Additionally: “MacOS Bitwarden won’t quit when Close to menu bar is enabled on Sonama” seems to be closer to the root of the issue.
System Details:
Raphael, the important thing is that @Cy1 submitted a bug report (for which I added a like on their post). I fully agree about characterising the problem which includes finding the correct causal sequence. The problem is that an unconditional statement that
is insufficient. I have tested repeatedly, and others supported, that routine shutdown can occur in the circumstances you describe, that Bitwarden acts normally on receipt of a kill message despite being set to Close to Menu Bar.
There is some additional condition or circumstance which combines with the Close to Menu Bar option but that condition is not present on all Macs or at all times, not a universal issue. It may be other software, some other condition of Bitwarden, or perhaps it is related to Apple silicon, the only recorded difference in our test environments. Developers need that additional characterisation, and I will wait on their responses. For me the rest would be speculation.
Post Script: Sorry if I came across as either of “unfriendly or patronising”. I have neither intention, am often unconscious of the potential and have learned that the latter is something with which I have to live at times when I hope to help.
Cheers
M.
Yes quite correct. just enabling “Close to menu bar” in the BW settings doesn’t give my system any issue with a shutdown/restart (M1 Macbook Air)
