Unable to unlock Bitwarden desktop app on app start using Windows Hello

[Ed_LaCrosse]

I checked this morning and “Require master password or PIN on restart” was checked! That’s very odd, because I had unchecked that some time ago to access the “fixed” functionality. Somehow, it got checked again. Does this happen “automatically” when a new version is released?

I unchecked the “Require…” closed the desktop app, closed Firefox, and re started Firefox and was able to unlock the browser extension with Windows Hello.

[Nail1684]

@Ed_LaCrosse

That’s very odd, because I had unchecked that some time ago to access the “fixed” functionality. Somehow, it got checked again. Does this happen “automatically” when a new version is released?

Luckily I think I almost never experienced this myself – but I think it has been reported that sometimes an update can do that.

@Ed_LaCrosse

I unchecked the “Require…” closed the desktop app, closed Firefox, and re started Firefox and was able to unlock the browser extension with Windows Hello.

[DenBesten]

@Nail1684

but I think it has been reported that sometimes an update can do that.

I am reasonably sure the latest desktop update rechecked it on me.

[Ed_LaCrosse]

This morning, I started my laptop, then started Firefox, and surfed around for almost two hours. At that point, I decided to click on the Bitwarden extension to unlock it, and surprise! The unlock with biometrics option was missing. (I got the screen I posted above.) So I closed Firefox, immediately re-opened it, and immediately clicked on the extension and was offered to unlock with biometrics.

I then opened the desktop application and was offered the option of unlocking with Windows Hello. I did that and rechecked the “Require master password…” setting. It was unchecked.

So, the option to unlock the Firefox extension with biometrics disappears if you have been running Firefox for awhile. Is this expected behavior?

Thanks again for any help.

[Nail1684]

@Ed_LaCrosse

I then opened the desktop application and was offered the option of unlocking with Windows Hello. I did that and rechecked the “Require master password…” setting. It was unchecked.

It was unchecked because you unchecked this yesterday:

@Ed_LaCrosse

I unchecked the “Require…” closed the desktop app, closed Firefox, and re started Firefox and was able to unlock the browser extension with Windows Hello.

When you check that option again, then remember, that you have to unlock the desktop app with your master password or PIN once, before you are able to use biometrics with the browser extension.

@Ed_LaCrosse

So, the option to unlock the Firefox extension with biometrics disappears if you have been running Firefox for awhile. Is this expected behavior?

If the desktop app was running in the background, and you were “logged in” there, and you either unlocked the desktop app once (when “Require master password or PIN on app restart” was checked) or you had “Require master password or PIN on app restart” unchecked – then this could be a bug.

[Ed_LaCrosse]

Thanks for the quick response.

@Nail1684

It was unchecked because you unchecked this yesterday

Yes, I know that. I checked again to see if, somehow, it had gotten re-checked. It had not.

@Nail1684

When you check that option again, then remember, that you have to unlock the desktop app with your master password or PIN once, before you are able to use biometrics with the browser extension.

I did not check it again.

@Nail1684

If the desktop app was running in the background, and you were “logged in” there, and you either unlocked the desktop app once (when “Require master password or PIN on app restart” was checked) or you had “Require master password or PIN on app restart” unchecked – then this could be a bug.

Yes. To be clear: The desktop app was running in the background and I was logged in. (The app was locked.) The “Require master password…” was unchecked. Then, if I start Firefox and let it run awhile (I had it running for almost two hours) and then try to unlock the extension, I did not get the option to unlock with biometrics. When I closed Firefox, immediately re-opened it, and immediately tried to unlock the extension, I could do so via biometrics.

So, the point is, the functionality “works” if I try to unlock the extension in Firefox right away, but it goes away if I wait awhile.

Do I need to report a bug, or will someone from Bitwarden come by, see this, and offer feedback?

Thanks again for your support.

[Nail1684]

Ah… maybe the English word “check” is ambiguous here then.

@Ed_LaCrosse

Yes. To be clear: The desktop app was running in the background and I was logged in. (The app was locked.) The “Require master password…” was unchecked. Then, if I start Firefox and let it run awhile (I had it running for almost two hours) and then try to unlock the extension, I did not get the option to unlock with biometrics. When I closed Firefox, immediately re-opened it, and immediately tried to unlock the extension, I could do so via biometrics.

So, the point is, the functionality “works” if I try to unlock the extension in Firefox right away, but it goes away if I wait awhile.

Do I need to report a bug, or will someone from Bitwarden come by, see this, and offer feedback?

Thanks for that detailed description!

I think this should rather be reported on GitHub.

One last thought: you are sure that when it didn’t work, that the desktop app was indeed open before you even started Firefox and let Firefox ran for those two hours? (if the desktop app starts with your system, and you don’t close it, then this was probably the case…)

[Ed_LaCrosse]

@Nail1684

I think this should rather be reported on GitHub.

Are there instructions somewhere on how to do this you could point me to? If not, I’ll dig around and figure out how to report a bug. I used to have an account on GitHub but I let it lapse.

@Nail1684

One last thought: you are sure that when it didn’t work, that the desktop app was indeed open before you even started Firefox and let Firefox ran for those two hours? (if the desktop app starts with your system, and you don’t close it, then this was probably the case…)

Yes. I’m absolutely sure of this. I have the desktop app set to start (and run locked) on start-up of my computer and run minimized with an icon on the toolbar. I never close the desktop app.

[Nail1684]

@Ed_LaCrosse

Are there instructions somewhere on how to do this you could point me to? If not, I’ll dig around and figure out how to report a bug. I used to have an account on GitHub but I let it lapse.

The “clients” repository is the right place: https://github.com/bitwarden/clients/issues → “New issue” → “Browser” (for the browser extension)

The rest should be relatively self-explanatory. – You don’t have to work on it for three hours, but don’t just put in there something like:

Expected result:
It works.

Actual result:
It doesn’t work.

[Ed_LaCrosse]

Thanks! I just opened a bug (Issue #17843)

[klodoma]

I am missing smth. Where is the “uncheck Require master password or PIN on app restart.” setting?

I see only the following… and Windows Hello Unlock doesn’t work on the Desktop App.

[Nail1684]

@klodoma Are you self-hosting?

[klodoma]

Yes. it’s self-Hosted.

[Nail1684]

@klodoma Ah, okay. As far as I know, there are feature flags for this feature – and you have to wait for the 2025.12.0 release then. (i.e. also for the desktop app 2025.12.0, I think)

[klodoma]

Thanks for the info. Good to know.