Bitwarden is a freemium open-source password management service that is used to store sensitive information, such as website credentials, in an encrypted vault. It is owned and developed by Bitwarden, Inc.
Bitwarden uses client-side zero-knowledge encryption, meaning the company cannot see its users' data. This is achieved by end-to-end encrypting data with AES-CBC 256-bit and by using PBKDF2 SHA-256/Argon2id to derive the encryption key.
To log in, a user can use an email-address and password combination, biometric authentication, two-factor authentication (2FA), passkey, single sign-on, or passwordless login via notification approval on a mobile/desktop device.
Additional client functionality includes: import of data from more than 50 password managers (such as LastPass, 1Password, and Keeper) passkey management; export to JSON, encrypted JSON, and CSV formats; a random password generator; autofill of login and other forms; integration with email alias services; ability to sync across unlimited platforms and devices; storage of an unlimited number of items; and storing a variety of information beyond username-and-password pairs, including passkeys, TOTP seeds, debit and credit card numbers, billing data and other identity information, and secure notes (free-form text). Each item type can be extended by custom fields and file attachments, though these are restricted by file
What is Bitwarden?
Bitwarden by Bitwarden Inc. is open-source Windows software in the password managers category. It ranks 1st by popularity among password managers in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2016. It is written in C#, TypeScript, and PHP. Besides Windows, it is available for macOS, GNU/Linux, iOS and Android. Its interface is available in 7 languages.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) and Portable installers for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit Windows. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 2026.10.1, released on October 22, 2026. The version history goes back to August 8, 2022: 93 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 22 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 2,267,745 times. The source code on GitHub (bitwarden/clients) has 14,034 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 22 of our languages. On Windows it registers 3 file types, including .xml, .json and .csv. Similar programs include KeePassXC, KeeWeb and 1Password.
Project description on GitHub: “Bitwarden client apps (web, browser extension, desktop, and cli).”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Frequent updates (about 22 a year)
- Also runs on macOS, GNU/Linux and iOS
- Large user base
In short: Bitwarden is an open-source password manager tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is Bitwarden safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
D4AAAD518E6A088CAE48AF41A1F49045D7579AB5957C76FCC06BBF0FBF89FE69· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 93 versions ›93 versions over 4 years · about 22 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026.10.1Latest | October 22, 2026 | — | ARM64 Portable32-bit PortableARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2026.10.0 | October 15, 2026 | — | ARM64 Portable64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit Portable |
| 2026.9.1 | October 1, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit PortableARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 2026.9.0 | September 17, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2026.8.0 | August 20, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)32-bit Portable64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2026.7.0 | July 23, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)ARM64 Portable64-bit Portable |
| 2026.6.1 | June 30, 2026 | — | 32-bit Portable64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 Portable |
| 2026.6.0 | June 25, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit Portable64-bit Portable |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Bitwarden.Bitwarden -echoco install bitwarden -yscoop install extras/bitwardenBitwarden-Installer-2026.10.1.exe /SProgram files (.exe): bitwarden.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask bitwardenflatpak install flathub com.bitwarden.desktopInformation
- Publisher
- Bitwarden Inc.
- Category
- Password managers
- Licence
- GPL-3.0 or Bitwarden-1.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/bitwarden/clients
- Written in
- C#, TypeScript, and PHP
- Interface languages
- multiple languages, English, French, Spanish, German, and Portuguese +1 more
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS), Portable
- Other platforms
- macOS, GNU/Linux, iOS, Android
- Version
- 2026.10.1
- Released
- October 22, 2026
- First release
- 2016
- Added to the catalogue
- August 11, 2022
- Versions listed
- 93
- Updates / year
- 22.1
- Chocolatey downloads
- 2,267,745
- GitHub stars
- 14,034
- GitHub forks
- 2,134
- Website
- bitwarden.com
- winget ID
- Bitwarden.Bitwarden
- Chocolatey package
- bitwarden
- Scoop package
- extras/bitwarden
File types it opens (3)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Bitwarden
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Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden free?
Yes. Bitwarden is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 or Bitwarden-1.0 licence.
Is Bitwarden safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Bitwarden with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Bitwarden be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Bitwarden run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Bitwarden?
The versions page lists all 93 versions with links to their official installer files, back to August 8, 2022.
Can I use Bitwarden without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to Bitwarden?
KeePassXC, KeeWeb, 1Password, Password Safe and Buttercup. The alternatives page compares them.
