Bitwarden download for Windows

Bitwarden keeps your passwords in an encrypted vault and makes them available wherever you sign in: in the browser, on your phone and on the desktop. The free plan has no limit on passwords or devices, which is unusual, and the code is open source. You need an account, but the vault is encrypted on your device before it is synced, so the service stores only data it cannot read.

Which Bitwarden apps do you need?

For most people, two things: the browser extension, which fills in passwords on websites, and the phone app. The desktop app is optional. Everything is on the download page.

Browser extensions exist for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo and Tor Browser.

Desktop for Windows comes in several forms:

• Standard installer, for x86, x64 and ARM64.
• Portable version for a USB drive. The page notes that it does not update itself.
• Microsoft Store and Chocolatey packages.

Mobile apps are in the App Store and Google Play. An F-Droid build exists for Android, without push notifications, so it needs manual syncing.

There is also a web vault you open in any browser, and a command-line tool.

Free or Premium?

According to the pricing page, the free plan includes unlimited passwords on unlimited devices, passkeys, the password generator, Bitwarden Send for sharing secrets securely, and sharing with one other user.

Premium costs a modest yearly fee and adds an integrated authenticator for two-factor codes, encrypted file attachments, emergency access for trusted contacts, and security reports that flag weak or reused passwords. Many people never need it.

Setting it up properly

1. Create the account and choose your master password. It is the one password you must remember, and Bitwarden cannot reset it. Make it long; a sentence works well.
2. Turn on two-step login in the account's security settings. An authenticator app is a better second factor than email.
3. Import your passwords from your browser or old manager. The web vault has an import tool for common formats. Afterwards, delete the export file, because it is not encrypted.
4. Switch off your browser's own password saving, so the two do not compete.
5. Make a backup. Export your vault occasionally and store the file somewhere safe, preferably encrypted.

Where Bitwarden differs from local managers

Your vault lives in Bitwarden's cloud by default. That is what makes sync effortless, and the end-to-end encryption means the service cannot read it. If you would rather no company were involved, Bitwarden can also be self-hosted, or you can use a file-based manager such as KeePass.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bitwarden really free?

Yes. The free plan is permanent and covers unlimited passwords and devices. Premium is an optional upgrade.

What happens if I forget my master password?

Bitwarden cannot recover it, because it never knows it. Premium's emergency access lets a trusted person request access, but only if you set that up beforehand.

Do I need the desktop app?

No. The browser extension and phone app cover most needs. The desktop app is handy for looking things up or copying a password into another program.

Is it safe to keep passwords in the cloud?

The vault is encrypted on your device before it leaves, and only your master password unlocks it. Its safety depends mostly on that password and on two-step login being on.