I have started to use passkeys with a few websites that support them but have found Bitwarden to be unreliable in accepting and storing new passkeys and providing passkeys to websites.
My experiences are with the Microsoft Edge browser, on both Windows 11 and MacOS platforms. In all cases both Edge and Bitwarden’s Edge extension are up-to-date. The issue is the extension sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t when either you want to receive and store a new passkey or provide a passkey to a website that is requesting one. About 40% of the time it works, with the Bitwarden UI appearing, but 60% of the time the Edge browser’s built-in handling of passkeys appears to be triggered instead of the Bitwarden extension. Since I use and want to continue to use Bitwarden to store the passkeys, this is problem.
I have confirmed many times that ‘Make Bitwarden your default password manager’ is checked and enabled in the extension’s settings (under auto-fill). I have ensured all of Edge’s own password management functionality is disabled. I have restarted the browser, etc. I experience the same success/failure rates on both Windows 11 and MacOS (14.6.1) platforms.
Is this a bug in the extension, a bug in the browser, or am I doing something wrong or haven’t configured something correctly?
All the other Bitwarden browser extension functionality like auto-fill works 100% correctly all the time. It is only the passkey functionality I am experiencing issues with.
@Airtime Did you check in the extension the following:
Settings → Notifications → “Ask for passkey…” is checked?
Settings → Notifications → Excluded domains → if there are domains on that list you want to use with passkeys, delete those domains here in this “excluded domains” list
Issue with Bitwarden Passkey Implementation on Microsoft Edge
It seems you’re experiencing intermittent issues with Bitwarden’s passkey functionality in Microsoft Edge on both Windows 11 and macOS. This problem, where the extension sometimes fails to store or provide passkeys, while occasionally defaulting to Edge’s built-in passkey handling, can be quite disruptive. Here are some points to consider and potential steps to address the issue:
Possible Causes and Troubleshooting Steps
Extension and Browser Conflicts:
Passkey Handling Conflict: Since you’re experiencing both Bitwarden and Edge’s native passkey handling, it’s possible there’s a conflict between the two. Even though you have set Bitwarden as the default password manager, Edge might still occasionally override this preference.
Solution: Double-check if there are any updates or settings related to passkey management in Edge’s settings that might be influencing this behavior. Ensure that any built-in passkey management features in Edge are fully disabled.
Bitwarden Extension Configuration:
Configuration Settings: You’ve already confirmed that Bitwarden is set as the default password manager. However, it might be worthwhile to recheck this setting or temporarily disable and re-enable it to see if that resolves the issue.
Solution: Go to Edge’s settings and navigate to the Extensions section. Verify that Bitwarden is the active extension and that no conflicting extensions or settings are enabled.
Extension and Browser Updates:
Version Compatibility: Ensure that both Bitwarden and Microsoft Edge are updated to their latest versions. Compatibility issues can arise from outdated versions.
Solution: Check for updates for both Edge and Bitwarden. Even though you mentioned both are up-to-date, ensure that you have the latest patches and updates.
Browser Cache and Cookies:
Corruption Issues: Sometimes, browser cache and cookies can cause unpredictable behavior with extensions.
Solution: Clear the browser cache and cookies to see if this resolves the issue. You can do this from Edge’s settings under Privacy, Search, and Services.
Bitwarden Support and Bug Reporting:
Extension Bugs: Given that the issue is specific to passkey functionality, it might be a bug in the Bitwarden extension or Edge’s integration with it.
Solution: Reach out to Bitwarden’s support team to report this issue. They might have additional insights or a fix in progress. Provide them with detailed information about the problem, including the versions of Edge and Bitwarden you are using.
Alternative Workarounds:
Using Edge’s Native Passkey Management: While it’s not ideal, if the issue persists, consider temporarily using Edge’s native passkey management until Bitwarden resolves the issue.
Solution: Explore if Edge’s native passkey management meets your needs in the interim and keep an eye on updates from Bitwarden for a permanent fix.
Summary
The issue could stem from conflicts between Bitwarden’s extension and Edge’s built-in passkey handling, configuration settings, or possibly bugs within the extension itself. By ensuring both the browser and extension are up-to-date, reconfiguring settings, clearing cache, and reaching out to support, you can address the problem more effectively.
I hope this helps resolve the passkey issues you’re facing. If the problem persists, keeping in touch with Bitwarden’s support for ongoing updates and potential fixes will be crucial.
I saw this problem in edge. For me it was solved in the “wallet” settings, under “passwords” > “View and autofill passwords and passkey” - disable this option.
Thank you! This worked for me, but I had to disable all of Edge’s password-related options, including the “”“Show the “Reveal password” button in password fields”“” which did not look relevant to me. (Or it could be something else, the only thing that I’m sure of is that disabling “View and autofill passwords and passkey” did not work at first.)