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Bitwarden Quick Tips

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Why a Bitwarden Quick Tips

I spent many years getting all my clients to use the KeePass password manager. It is great. It is very secure and works extremely well, particularly when you add a few of the optional plugins. The program is audited and is widely known for its excellent security. It is actively supported.

So, why am I writing a quick tips for Bitwarden? As time has continued to move the world into a digital age, more of my clients were needing to have their password manager working on their phones, laptops, and desktop computers. They wanted the program integrated into the browser or multiple browsers. They wanted it to synchronize their various devices automatically. To meet these demands, I began setting clients up with Bitwarden instead of KeePass. KeePass keeps all our passwords locally on your computer, phone, or tablet. You need to install the appropriate programs and copy the file from your computer to the other devices. Bitwarden is also open source, audited, and excellent. However, it keeps your passwords in the cloud and provides the programs for each device and also for browser extensions.

Some KeePass Tips

I've written many KeePass articles over the years; here are a few in case you missed them and want a KeePass review.

• KeePass Quick-start
• Getting the most from KeePass
• How I set up KeePass

Bitwarden's First steps videos

https://bitwarden.com/help/first-steps-with-bitwarden/

Bitwarden's own first-step videos are a good way to pick up tips you might have missed.

Import Your Current passwords

Bitwarden is great at importing passwords from just about every place imaginable. You can import current passwords exported from other password managers or from your browser. So, if your browser is storing your passwords, export them and import them into Bitwarden.

At new sites, create the site in Bitwarden first

At a new site, fill in everything in Bitwarden, then use Bitwarden to log in to the new site. This method ensures your credentials are securely saved before you submit them to the website, reducing the risk of losing track of a new password or username. It also allows you to use Bitwarden’s password generator and autofill features for convenience and security. Be sure and add the website address.

Install it on your phones, tablets, desktop, and browser.

Install, install, install. You should install Bitwarden as an extension on any browser you use. You should install it on all your devices as well. So, that means your desktop computer and your phone and tablets. They have apps for Android and iOS as well as Linux, Windows, and Mac, and as extensions for most browsers. Each has its place. It has uses beyond just logging into websites, so you want it installed as an app on your computer as well as a browser extension. More about that later. The browser extensions are important because they make it easier to log into websites.

Use Quick Unlock

I like two things:

1. Get into Bitwarden quickly and easily
2. Keep other people out!

I do this by locking the database instead of closing it after I open it. I only open it when I restart my computer or when the program itself is updated. To open the database or log in, you must enter the entire password. But to unlock it, you just need a pin. My favorite pin is the last 4 characters of my actual password. That way, it seems random, and I don't need to remember anything new. The most difficult part of this process is simply finding the settings. Here's where the settings hide and then the account security.

• On the browser extensions, it is in the lower right.
• In the Windows app, it is under the file menu! Then in the security section.
• In the Android app, it is in the lower right, then account security.

1. You can unlock with biometrics or a short pin
2. Choose whether you want to enter a full password whenever you restart your browser, or only when you restart the computer.
3. Choose how long before the event.
4. Choose whether to just lock (the pin will open it) or log out completely when the vault times out.

Different device apps might present a slightly different menu, but essentially this is it.

Use Secure Notes

For personal data and also for software purchases and licenses. Notes about something, like your Wi-Fi network that needs a Wi-Fi name, Wi-Fi password, or guest network password. You don't really log in to these very often, and usually have to type them when you do. I use this for records of many client passwords. I also record things like my driver's license number, social security number, insurance policy numbers, health care policy numbers, and even my car's VIN. To be honest, I even have my shoe size recorded there.

Consider the Paid Version

You get a great password manager for free, but consider paying them $10/year for their Premium plan. Here are some of the reasons I suggest this. There are other advantages, but these are most likely to be useful to you.

1. Support this fabulous product to make sure they can keep updating it.
2. You get some added features as well:
   • Encrypted file attachments.
   • Bitwarden's Authenticator app. This is great. It allows you to support one-time passwords inside Bitwarden. This is faster and easier than having authentication codes sent via email or SMS messages.
   • Emergency access. This is a way, through an authentication process, that you can designate another Bitwarden user, even a free account, to access your account in case of emergency.
   • More reporting for weak, reused, or exposed passwords.
   • Send encrypted information to others. The free version allows this for text, but the paid version also allows you to send files safely to others.
   • Priority support

Backup

This isn't a quick tip at all. But, I can't resist. Back up your Bitwarden vault. In case you lose an Internet connection, or something happens to Bitwarden, you should have a local copy of your passwords and licenses. Theoretically, Bitwarden keeps a local cache of your database, but if you are logged out of Bitwarden, or the local cache doesn't update (which often happens to me), you won't have a copy. I wrote a detailed article on how to back up Bitwarden and import it into a KeePass database [here].(https://steveshank.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?aid=1212).