Bitwarden is a budget-friendly password supervisor that’s constructed on open-source software program and zero-knowledge encryption.

On this article, we stroll you thru the best way to arrange Bitwarden, the best way to use it, and how one can maximize its options on your group.

1. Resolve on a Bitwarden subscription

First, you’ll have to determine which Bitwarden subscription is best for you. Bitwarden presents two subscription tiers: Private and Enterprise.

For Private, there are Free, Premium, and Households subscription choices out there. Free and Premium accounts permit for sharing vault gadgets with two customers, whereas the Households plan permits as much as six. The Enterprise tier has a Groups starter plan for as much as 10 customers and an Enterprise plan that permits for limitless customers. For extra info on Bitwarden’s pricing, you may view our full Bitwarden evaluate right here.

To begin, I might counsel going for Bitwarden’s Free model first. It provides you a style of Bitwarden’s tackle password administration with out value. It additionally presents storage for an infinite variety of passwords and can be utilized on limitless units.

2. Arrange the Bitwarden app and browser extension

Now that we’ve selected a plan, it’s time to arrange a Bitwarden account. Clicking on the Free tier inside Bitwarden’s plans web page will take you to its account creation portal.

Fill within the required particulars and kind in your grasp password. This grasp password will function your principal key to unlocking all of the passwords and credentials in your vault. Technically, that is the one password you’ll need to create by yourself.

After filling in all of the required fields, you’ll be redirected to Bitwarden’s net software or Internet Vault. As soon as there, Bitwarden will ask you to confirm your e-mail tackle. After verifying, you’ll then have an official Bitwarden account!

Whereas Bitwarden’s net app is serviceable, downloading each the desktop software and browser extension will enable you to get essentially the most out of the service. You may obtain the desktop app on their official web site.

You must also obtain Bitwarden’s official browser extension. On this case, we’re utilizing Bitwarden’s Chrome extension, which will be discovered on the Chrome Internet Retailer

Upon putting in each, you’ll be requested to enter your login credentials and grasp password. When you’re in, you may formally begin utilizing Bitwarden as your password supervisor. Right here’s a take a look at Bitwarden’s desktop software

3. Utilizing Bitwarden

As a password supervisor, Bitwarden shops all of your login info contained in the encrypted vault. So as to add a login, simply click on on the + on the backside of the dashboard and it’ll open a type the place you may add a brand new login merchandise.

The extra conventional method so as to add logins is everytime you create a brand new account on-line. That is finest finished via Bitwarden’s browser extension because it presents you simpler entry to the service whereas on a specific website.

On this instance, I’ll be making a brand new account on Udemy. When creating a brand new account, you need to use Bitwarden to generate a random password that’s configured to parameters of your selecting. You may entry this by clicking on the Generator tab on the backside of the extension.

By default, Bitwarden generates a password of 14 characters, however it may be set to have as much as 128. You may set it to be a random password with digits, uppercase and lowercase characters, and particular symbols. It’s also possible to have it create passphrases as a substitute — which some have mentioned are safer than a typical password.

After getting your login credentials set, you may go to the Tab button and click on Add a login so as to add the brand new Udemy account to your vault.

With this step, you’ve now saved your first password utilizing Bitwarden! Now that you simply’ve realized the best way to retailer passwords utilizing Bitwarden, the subsequent step is to arrange two-step authentication.

In Bitwarden, that is known as a two-step login. This makes your Bitwarden account safer by requiring you to confirm your login with one other gadget. This may be via an SMS code, e-mail, an authenticator app, and others.

To set this up inside Bitwarden’s desktop software, go to Account | Two-step login. It’ll then redirect you to Bitwarden’s net app and take you thru the method.

When you’ve got any points utilizing Bitwarden, you may go to the help web page on its official web site and ship out a ticket. It additionally has a assist heart with an in depth assortment of guides and articles concerning its service.

Bitwarden ceaselessly requested questions (FAQs)

What’s the distinction between free and premium Bitwarden?

With Bitwarden’s free plan, you lose out on premium options similar to an built-in authenticator (TOTP), emergency entry, encrypted file attachments, and their full suite of safety stories.

A premium Bitwarden account additionally grants you entry to precedence buyer help and some extra two-factor authentication choices. Regardless of these variations, Bitwarden Free nonetheless gives zero-knowledge encryption, help for limitless units, and limitless password storage.

For a extra in-depth information on these variations, try our full Bitwarden Free vs Premium function.

How safe is Bitwarden free?

Bitwarden’s free model carries a lot of the important safety features present in its premium plan. Its free plan implements the identical zero-knowledge encryption discovered on its paid tier — making certain that solely the end-user has entry to their knowledge and that Bitwarden is rarely capable of see consumer passwords. The Bitwarden platform has additionally been independently audited quite a few instances, with third-party assessments on varied elements of its service going again so far as 2018.

On high of this, Bitwarden is open-source, making its supply code publicly out there for evaluate. This permits neighborhood customers and safety consultants to identify vulnerabilities within the codebase, if there are any, themselves.

As of January 2025, there have been zero stories of any breach or knowledge leak involving Bitwarden or its free model.

What working techniques does Bitwarden help?

For desktop, Bitwarden helps Home windows, macOS, and Linux. You additionally get help for the command-line interface on these similar platforms. On the cellular aspect of issues, Bitwarden has official apps for each iOS and Android.

By way of browser extensions, Bitwarden helps Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Courageous, Vivaldi, Tor, and DuckDuckGo.

Does Bitwarden robotically fill in passwords?

Sure, Bitwarden has a one-click, inline autofill function which robotically inputs saved credentials for gadgets like usernames and passwords.

Each time Bitwarden detects a type subject that would probably be stuffed in with a saved merchandise out of your vault, a Bitwarden emblem will pop up inside that subject. Clicking this and choosing the saved credential will robotically fill within the merchandise in that type subject.

This can be utilized to autofill passwords, full logins, passkeys, bank cards, and saved identities.

What we consider Bitwarden

In our full evaluate, Bitwarden obtained a ranking of 4.6 out of 5 stars. I highlighted its beneficiant free model, reasonably priced paid plans, and open-source structure as choices that assist it stand out from the pack.

It additionally employs zero-knowledge encryption and comes with a clear safety observe document as a longtime supplier within the password area. Whereas it doesn’t have essentially the most intuitive desktop interface, it’s certainly one of our favourite password managers out there immediately.

If you wish to study extra, learn our full Bitwarden Assessment.

This text was initially printed in November 2023. It was up to date by the identical creator in January 2025.