A password manager that we have recommended as a viable and secure free and open source option, Bitwarden, is now testing a major revamp of its desktop and browser apps.
The public beta of the new look and feel is open until October 31, and those who wish to try it out can do so by downloading the new desktop app and/or the new Chromium-based browser extension (that works with Google Chrome version 134 or higher). Note that this beta is not for self-hosted users.
The announcement was made on the company's forum, where a post said, "Now, you can test out the redesigned Bitwarden apps for yourself, and help shape the Bitwarden experience for everyone."
The beta version of the apps can be used with your existing account, and as the company explains on its blog, "The beta clients (desktop apps and Chrome extension) have the same function and security as the production version." The blog post also instructs users to "use your normal Bitwarden credentials to log in and evaluate the updates as part of your usual day-to-day workflows."
Those who take part in the beta testing are advised to use the new apps with their real vault, and are warned that once the beta period is over, they should uninstall the apps because they will no longer receive updates, including those that are meant to improve security.
The blog post lists new features that are being tested, including a vault switcher, combined search and filtering, and the ability to use Ctrl/Cmd+F to search and Esc to clear filters. Another change is that "Collections" are now called "Shared folders."
The new look and feel will be rolled out to cloud users automatically in November, while self-hosted users will have to wait until a later date.
In the meantime, users are invited to report any issues or provide feedback on the Bitwarden community forum.
Some of those who did so soon after the announcement was made asked if the beta version of the Firefox extension would be available any time soon, and were told by Bitwarden, "Not at this time, the browser extension beta is available for chromium-based browsers."
Meanwhile, a number of new features have been added to the service, such as quick copy buttons in the web and desktop apps. A vault health dashboard in the browser extension will flag "weak, reused, or exposed passwords," while admins can set up custom rules for fill assist (site-specific autofill rules).
The company has also announced that from now on, invite links will be "secured by restricting access to specific allowed domains and the confirmation step required for admitting users to the organization."
SCIM and Directory Connector imports will start in a "staged" mode, which means that no paid seat will be taken up during the import process.
A new policy is also being introduced that turns on fill assist for all users in an organization, who can then create custom rules.
In other news, Bitwarden is dropping support for the RSAES-PKCS1 v1.5 encryption scheme used for SSO (single sign-on) as it is considered outdated and insecure. From December 1, 2026, organizations still using it will not be able to log in via SSO, while reminders will start being sent out on October 13.
This is a beta that runs on your real vault, so do not forget to uninstall it when it ends.
