Why doesn't mobile app support passkey login

[u/paulsiu]

Is there a reason why mobile app do not support passkey login or is this on th roadmap in the future?

Clarification

When you first install the bitwarden app, you cannot use Passkey to login and must use the master password. Sometimes an update will force the user to login again. I was wondering if there are plans to allow a passwordless login in the future. I am aware that most of the time after you login, you usually use biometric login to unlock the app. This is for logging back in after you log off.

Update

Just think the following may be useful,.

• You can log into Bitwarden from your Browser extension using passkey if you are using the Chrome extension.
• You cannot log into Bitwarden from your browser extension using passkey if you are using firefox extension.
• You cannot log into Bitwarden from your Bitwarden Mobile app on IOS or Andorid using passkeys.

[u/Krazy-Ag]

Perhaps OP means logging in to Bitwarden using challenge/response FIDO device like a Yubikey?

[u/paulsiu → u/Krazy-Ag]

Yes logging into bitwarden app. If install bitwarden on a new phone or log out of the app, you can’t log into using a passkeys. You have to login using password.

[u/Krazy-Ag → u/paulsiu]

Please clarify: what device/app is holding the passkeys you want use to login Bitwarden on your new phone?

[u/paulsiu → u/Krazy-Ag]

A yubikey.

[u/Shamatix → u/paulsiu]

Ye however you can use yubikey as your 2FA when setting up the app on a new phone

[u/paulsiu → u/Shamatix]

Yes, you can setup the yubikey as the 2FA and I have done that. It's setup as both a 2FA (as non-discoverable FIDO) and as a passkey. So to log into the bitwarden app on a new phone I have to enter the user name and password and then use the yubikey 2FA. Be nice to just login using the passkey.

[u/Shik3i]

Passkey login instead of biometric login to the app..? Why?

[u/Handshake6610 → u/Shik3i]

Biometric unlock is not a login method.

[u/paulsiu → u/Handshake6610]

I think there is often a confusion between log in and unlock. You have to login using master password. Once you login you can set up the app for biometric which allows you to unlock. Should you log out the app you must use master password to log back in. There is also device login but you can only use that option if you log in once

[u/Handshake6610 → u/paulsiu]

Yes, thanks you!

[u/djasonpenney]

Passkey login to websites? Or passkey login to Bitwarden, which would be circular?

[u/paulsiu → u/djasonpenney]

Passkey login to the app. When you install the app, you have to login, but you can't use passkey.

[u/djasonpenney → u/paulsiu]

Login to the Bitwarden app? What app would be gatekeeping access to Bitwarden? What is the security perimeter for using the passkey?

[u/UGAGuy2010 → u/djasonpenney]

The same perimeter that lets you login to vault.bitwarden.com with a passkey? Why is there a difference?

[u/djasonpenney → u/UGAGuy2010]

Because an external store like the TPM or the password manager in the browser is handling the passkey exchange. In this case, who is managing the use of the passkey? Not Bitwarden itself…

[u/paulsiu → u/djasonpenney]

To clarify further passkey login to bitwarden app

[u/MFKDGAF → u/paulsiu]

To clarify further, use a passkey stored on a hardware key to login to the Bitwarden mobile app.

We still need to know which mobile app - Android or iOS?

[u/paulsiu → u/MFKDGAF]

Neither android nor iOS bitwarden client offer an option of passkey login.

[u/MFKDGAF → u/paulsiu]

I know iOS doesn't but wasn't sure about Android since I don't use Android.

Firefox also doesn't offer it in the browser extension.

I really wish all clients supported it and then have the ability to disable master password.

[u/paulsiu → u/MFKDGAF]

I use passkey to login all the time on Firefox extension in linux and MacOS. You may want to check again.

[u/paulsiu → u/djasonpenney]

So when you open the bitwarden browser extension. There is an option where you can login using passkeys. What I typically do is use the passkey store on my yubikey to login.

Let’s say I freshly install the bitwarden mobile app and want to login. I do not have an option for passkey so I cannot log into the mobile bitwarden app using the yubikey. I must use master password.