How to download and install Bitwarden on Mac
Bitwarden is a password manager with a free plan, and its Mac app comes from Bitwarden’s website or the App Store. Here is which version to pick, how to install the app and how to add Bitwarden to your browser.
Bitwarden
- macOS 12 or later
- One file for Apple Silicon and Intel
- Free. Premium is paid
Or the installer straight from the developer’s server:
The links go to the developer’s website (bitwarden.com). MacWashing is not affiliated with the developer and keeps no installers.
Open Terminal (Applications › Utilities) and run:
brew install --cask bitwardenHomebrew downloads the app from the developer’s server, checks the file and puts the app in Applications.
No Homebrew yet? How to install Homebrew: one command from brew.sh.
Which version to download
Bitwarden’s desktop app is one file for Macs with Apple Silicon and Intel, so there is no chip to choose. It comes in two versions with the same vault:
- Website version: the
.dmgfrom Bitwarden’s download page, or Homebrew. It updates itself. - App Store version: installs and updates through the App Store, and it is the only one that brings the Bitwarden extension for Safari: Safari accepts extensions only from the App Store.
Bitwarden needs macOS 12 Monterey or later. Download it only from bitwarden.com or the App Store: password managers are a favourite disguise for fake installers.
How to install Bitwarden
- Open the downloaded
Bitwarden-….dmgin your Downloads folder. - In the window that opens, drag Bitwarden to the Applications folder, then eject the Bitwarden disk in the Finder sidebar.
- Open Bitwarden from Applications and click Open when macOS asks about an app downloaded from the internet.
- Log in with your Bitwarden account email and master password, or create an account if you are new.
- Add the browser extension: on Bitwarden’s download page, open Web browser extensions and install the one for Chrome, Firefox, Edge or another browser you use.
For Safari, install Bitwarden from the App Store (search for Bitwarden, click Get, then Install), open it once, then in Safari choose Safari › Settings › Extensions and tick Bitwarden.
What to set up after the first launch
- Touch ID. In Bitwarden’s settings, under Security, turn on Unlock with Touch ID so you don’t type the master password every time.
- Opening at login. In the same settings, under App Settings, turn Start automatically on login on or off.
- Your master password. Bitwarden can’t recover it for you. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe, away from your Mac.
- The installer. Once Bitwarden runs, move the
.dmgfrom Downloads to the Trash.
If Bitwarden won’t install or open
- «Bitwarden is damaged and can’t be opened». The download was incomplete. Delete it and download it again from Bitwarden’s website.
- Bitwarden doesn’t start on an older Mac. Check your macOS version in Apple menu › About This Mac: Bitwarden needs macOS 12 or later.
- An old copy gets in the way. Remove Bitwarden completely and install it again. Your vault stays in your account: see how to uninstall Bitwarden on Mac.
Alternatives to Bitwarden
Keep your Mac tidy
System Junk in MacWashing finds the caches apps build up over time, Bitwarden’s included, and shows how much space they take. And if you decide to remove Bitwarden, the Uninstaller takes its files with it.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Is Bitwarden for Mac free?
Yes. The free plan keeps unlimited passwords on all your devices. Premium is a paid plan with extras such as file attachments and security reports.
Should I take Bitwarden from the App Store or the website?
If you use Safari, take the App Store version: only it brings the Safari extension. For Chrome, Firefox or Edge either works. Your vault is the same in both.
Do I need the desktop app if I have the browser extension?
No. The extension and the web vault work on their own. The desktop app is handy for working with your vault outside the browser and for unlocking with Touch ID.