same thing with Firefox extension Desktop 2025.2.0, Extension 2025.2.0 Windows 10, Windows hello opens flashing on the taskbar. reinstalled extension, logged out of desktop app etc etc.
I’m logged in to bitwarden desktop app. Biometrics is working fine to unlock the desktop app on my MacBook Air w M3 chip.
I used to be able to use biometrics to login to the chrome plugin.
Are you saying that I should uninstall and reinstall the chrome plug in to match the same version of the desktop app?
Well, that’s one reason why I corrected the title of this topic… There is no “login with biometrics” with the Bitwarden apps…
(Well, to be exact: the only thing that maybe could be called “login with biometrics” with Bitwarden would be “login-with-passkey”, as such a login-passkey – with biometrics as User Verification – can login someone to the Bitwarden account/vault with biometrics (and as “login-with-passkey” is still in Beta, it’s currently still possible only for the web vault). → But that is something very different to the “unlock with biometrics” between desktop app and browser extension…)
So, if you didn’t do it now, I would suggest, to first login in the browser extension (in whatever way you want or can - just not with biometrics, as it’s currently impossible 
)
As you didn’t write the version of your Chrome Bitwarden browser extension, I don’t know if you have to uninstall and reinstall it. If it is already on the current version 2025.2.1, you don’t have to.
On the other hand, deinstalling and reinstalling is not a bad idea when something doesn’t work, so you could try it. – Either way, you should also make sure, you have everything set up as it should be (in the desktop app and the browser extension): Unlock with Biometrics | Bitwarden
This is my browser plug-in “About” info:
Version 2025.2.1
SDK: ‘main(287e29)’
Server version: 2025.2.0
this is my bitwarden desktop app “About” info:
Version 2025.2.0 (37899)
Do they need to match? I dont see any new version in the apple app store for macbook.
No, they don’t need to match. Luckily… because not every new version arrives on all systems immediately…
… ah, that can be… then for the Mac/Chrome extension, 2025.2.0 is the latest at the moment.
I believe I have found a workaround. After getting the error message below, I click on “More choices” and then PIN. In addition to letting me in, I am subsequently able to lock/unlock the same browser with Hello-Face. This does survive a browser-restart, but have not tested a system reboot nor how long the “workaround” persists found that that the fix is not permanent. After having rebooted a machine and let it sit for the weekend, Face did not work and I once again had to resort to PIN…
My failure mode is that Unlock with Windows Hello Facial Recognition fails with the message above, but Unlock with Windows Hello PIN succeeds.
I have been able to reproduce this problem plus workaround on the following browsers (all current), and often times using a fresh install of the extension.
- Chrome 134.0.6998.89 (Official Build) (64-bit) 2025.2.2
- Edge 134.0.3124.68 (Official build) (64-bit) 2025.2.2
- Opera 117.0.5408.93 Bitwarden 2025.2.1
- Firefox 136.0.1 (64-bit) Bitwarden 2025.2.4
All on Windows 24H2 (OS Build 26100.3476), Bitwarden Desktop 2025.2.1
If anyone has a Windows Hello Fingerprint reader, I would like to know if you have the problem in the first place and if this workaround helps.
Note: given the above testing results, I’m changing the title from “Unable to unlock with biometrics using Chrome Extension” to “Unable to unlock browser extensions with Hello+face biometric”
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Hi,
Same here. I can succesfully access windows app with windows face hello every time a try. It is very difficult to access bitwardens firefox browser extension after that. Face hello doesnt work but I can log in with PIN. I used to have no problems in the past. Since maybe two or three weeks same issue on two windows computers.
I’m experiencing the exact same issue as the OP. This has been happening for 1-2 months. Some additional details in my case:
- Face Unlock works fine in the first of my Chrome user profiles, but not in the 2nd one.
- In the 2nd Chrome profile, PIN unlock works reliably.
- Chrome version: Chrome is up to date - Version 134.0.6998.89 (Official Build) (64-bit)
- Bitwarden Desktop: Version 2025.2.1 SDK ‘main (6008e90)’ Shell 34.0.0 Renderer 123.0.6834.83 Node 20.18.1 Architecture x64
- Bitwarden Extension: Version 2025.2.2.