Bitwarden 2026.5 available
The update offers new password manager features and desktop improvements.
The popular open-source password manager Bitwarden has rolled out version 2026.5 across all its modules, delivering a solid set of improvements to the desktop app, web interface, browser extension, and admin console.
What's New in the password manager
The headline addition for most users is the device list in the desktop app. Previously only available in the web app and browser extension, you can now see all devices where your Bitwarden account is active directly from the desktop client, useful for spotting unauthorized sessions at a glance.
Linux users running Bitwarden from Flatpak or Snap distributions gain a long-requested feature: biometric unlock support. The integration works through the Bitwarden desktop app to enable fingerprint or face unlock for browser extensions on those platforms.
The web app also gets quick action buttons, hover over any vault item and buttons appear to launch the associated website or copy credentials without opening the full item view. A smaller but welcome UI tweak also changes how Send entries work: selecting one now shows a preview screen first instead of jumping straight to the edit view.
Under the Hood
Search performance in the web app has been improved dramatically. The search service is now reportedly 50 times faster, with indexing moved to a background process so it no longer blocks the UI.
For self-hosters, the Helm chart reaches version 2.0 with two breaking changes to be aware of before upgrading: NGINX Ingress is now disabled by default (Gateway API is the new alternative), and the image.name field has been removed from values.yaml in favor of image.repository. Anyone running a self-hosted instance should review these changes carefully before updating.
Admin Console
Teams and Enterprise organizations can now connect Blumira as a SIEM integration for security event monitoring. Account recovery has also been extended to cover locked members and can now reset two-factor authentication methods. A new tooltip on the Members → Revoked page explains why each member's access was removed.
Desktop, Browser, and CLI
The desktop app updates the archive UI to make it clearer that archiving is a premium feature. The browser extension improves its autofill warning message for mismatched URIs. The CLI receives internal improvements and minor bug fixes across the board.
Bitwarden remains free for personal use with optional premium plans for advanced features. The update is rolling out now across all platforms.
Find it on UpdateStar
- Product page: Bitwarden on UpdateStar
- Download: Download Bitwarden
- Alternatives page: Bitwarden alternatives
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