Face ID not working with autofill (iOS beta native)

[fratoff91]

Bitwarden Beta

• I'm using the new native Bitwarden Beta app and I'm aware that legacy .NET app bugs should be reported in bitwarden/mobile

Steps To Reproduce

Face ID doesn't work when trying to autofill a login on a site.

Expected Result

when i press to login on a site with autofill, bitwarden should open and unlock automatically with faceid

Actual Result

when I press to login on a site with autofill, Bitwarden only allows me to unlock it via pin (if set) or master password

Screenshots or Videos

movstash_cI7bE78x.mp4

Additional Context

No response

Build Version

2024.8.0 (288)

Environment Details

iPhone 11 version iOS 17.6.1

Issue Tracking Info

• I understand that work is tracked outside of Github. A PR will be linked to this issue should one be opened to address it, but Bitwarden doesn't use fields like "assigned", "milestone", or "project" to track progress.

[l2eused]

same for me, Ipad pro (gen2) 11" os17

[Nicnl]

Same issue here.

The official stable app in the AppStore was updated to 2024.8.1 (1052).
Now, the autofill always asks for the master password: Face ID doesn't trigger + the Face ID button doesn't appear.
It's a PITA because some website forms has email and password separated by two steps, meaning I now have to type my (long) master password two times.

However, Face ID unlock works fine when launching the app itself, the issue affects only the autofill button that appears on top of the keyboard when BitWarden is set as the default password manager in the iOS system settings.

[Stooovie]

Same. Disabling and reenabling FaceID did NOT fix the issue, nor did reboot. PIN works though.

[cat24max]

I don't even have the ability to enable Face ID in Bitwarden at all.

Edit: This seems to have been an issue in iOS. Face ID kept breaking in most apps. A reboot fixed it.

[stwc]

I found a workaround from reddit.
Go to Settings -> Account security -> Unlock options. Toggle off both Face ID and PIN code, then toggle on PIN code first, Face ID second.
This workaround works for me.

[cat24max]

I found a workaround from reddit.

Go to Settings -> Account security -> Unlock options. Toggle off both Face ID and PIN code, then toggle on PIN code first, Face ID second.

This workaround works for me.

Does not work for me.
But PIN also doesn't work.

[cbbit]

Hi,

Thank you for your report! It has been flagged to our engineering team for further investigation. If you have more information that can help us, please add it below.

Thanks!

[shaqaruden]

I have this issue as well except, putting on my password does not work. I get the following warning/error

EDIT: Should have mentioned the device

iPhone 13 Pro Max

I would also like to say even though I am having this issue I am so excited for this native iOS app!

[ghjaili]

Same issue on both devices:
iPhone 13 pro
iPad Air Gen5

[yaakovfeldman]

I have this issue as well except, putting on my password does not work. I get the following warning/error

EDIT: Should have mentioned the device

iPhone 13 Pro Max

I would also like to say even though I am having this issue I am so excited for this native iOS app!

Same issue but just to be clear: this worked fine in old app (same KDF settings). It’s a iPhone 14. When I tap continue, Bitwarden disappears and nothing is filled. KDF argon 260MB 3 iterations, 3 parallel.

[iamironz]

I am also facing the same two issues: neither PIN nor biometric unlocking works, and a KDF warning alert started appearing since the update.
The "Continue" button does not provide any indication of actual continuation; as a result, the password is not auto-filled.
This is reproducible on version 2024.8.1 on an iPhone 13 mini.

[iamironz]

Turns out, the bug has existed for 3 weeks already, and this report is actually a duplicate (original thread: #820). But there's been no fix since then, even though a Bitwarden team member claimed they provided the bug to the engineering team. I'm quite confused that this issue wasn't even triaged and snuck into the stable release on the App Store.

[iamironz]

Found out the solution for self-hosted WaultWarden users (but by reducing security to some degree, if you had more conservative settings):

1. On the server side, go to Settings -> Security -> Keys tab.
2. If you're using PBKDF2, then switch to Argon2id (more secure, and honestly, I didn't test with PBKDF2).
3. Reduce memory down to 64MB, KDF iterations to 4, and parallelism to 4 as well.
4. Save settings. You'll probably be logged out.
5. Re-login on the mobile device (probably manually).
6. Go to mobile app settings.
7. Re-toggle on the FaceID unlock checkbox.
8. The first attempt of auto-fill will still ask you for a password for the first time.
9. Next time it will use FaceID as before.

Again, this solution assumes that your security settings will be relaxed if you have already set up Argon2id with more conservative settings, and might be inappropriate in some environments.
Please, use it at your own risk.

[yaakovfeldman]

Found out the solution for self-hosted WaultWarden users (but by reducing security to some degree, if you had more conservative settings):

1. On the server side, go to Settings -> Security -> Keys tab.
2. If you're using PBKDF2, then switch to Argon2id (more secure, and honestly, I didn't test with PBKDF2).
3. Reduce memory down to 64MB, KDF iterations to 4, and parallelism to 4 as well.
4. Save settings. You'll probably be logged out.
5. Re-login on the mobile device (probably manually).
6. Go to mobile app settings.
7. Re-toggle on the FaceID unlock checkbox.
8. The first attempt of auto-fill will still ask you for a password for the first time.
9. Next time it will use FaceID as before.

Again, this solution assumes that your security settings will be relaxed if you have already set up Argon2id with more conservative settings, and might be inappropriate in some environments. Please, use it at your own risk.

Thanks, these argon settings work in regular (not vault warden) Bitwarden too and Face ID autofill is now working.

[llama-chad]

Found out the solution for self-hosted WaultWarden users (but by reducing security to some degree, if you had more conservative settings):

1. On the server side, go to Settings -> Security -> Keys tab.

2. If you're using PBKDF2, then switch to Argon2id (more secure, and honestly, I didn't test with PBKDF2).

3. Reduce memory down to 64MB, KDF iterations to 4, and parallelism to 4 as well.

4. Save settings. You'll probably be logged out.

5. Re-login on the mobile device (probably manually).

6. Go to mobile app settings.

7. Re-toggle on the FaceID unlock checkbox.

8. The first attempt of auto-fill will still ask you for a password for the first time.

9. Next time it will use FaceID as before.

Again, this solution assumes that your security settings will be relaxed if you have already set up Argon2id with more conservative settings, and might be inappropriate in some environments. Please, use it at your own risk.

This has worked for me, once the bug is fixed I will increase it again. I only needed to change the KDF iterations by 1 and reduce the memory from 128 to 64. My thought is this is still more secure than copying to the clipboard to enter passwords.

[ZPNRG]

The issue that I have had ever since I first installed BitWarden 2024.8.0 beta for iOS via TestFlight back on August 10th or 11th is that BitWarden 2024.8.0 beta for iOS [now 2024.8.1 (1052) public release] will periodically "lose" (disable) the "Unlock with Face ID" setting. I will have to enter my Master Password and then I will go back into settings and enable "Unlock with Face ID" and then after a while, maybe a few days later, I will go to use BitWarden and it will prompt for my Master Password again. I enter it and then go back into settings and re-enable "Unlock with Face ID". I thought surely this and other issues would get fixed before 2024.8.x would get released to the public, but I did submit the issue and a bunch of other issues via the TestFlight feedback option on 08-16-2024. But other companies have told me in the past that the iOS TestFlight feedback submission (which is basically email) is broken and/or unreliable.

Initially, this is what I reported via the TestFlight feedback:

"If using a web browser, when you try to use BitWarden, my Master Password is required and the FaceID unlock is not evoked. Yes, "Unlock with Face ID" is enabled and works fine directly within the BitWarden app. I have tested with Brave and Safari."

However, then I started noticing that BitWarden was "losing" the "Unlock with Face ID" setting and disabling it, which would force me to periodically and at random re-enter my Master Password, re-enable "Unlock with Face ID", and then all would be fine for a while until I would then be asked to re-enter my Master Password and the whole process would start again.

To be clear, I have seen this behavior whether directly opening the BitWarden app or trying to use BitWarden via the iOS autofill functionality. When I first noticed these issues back around 08-10-2024 or 08-11-2024, I was running BitWarden 2024.8.0 beta (via TestFlight) on iOS 18.0 public beta 4, but I am now running iOS 18.1 Developer Beta 3 (22B5034e) and have been since it was released on 08-28-2024.

My iPhone is an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

[ioqy]

I found a workaround from reddit.

Go to Settings -> Account security -> Unlock options. Toggle off both Face ID and PIN code, then toggle on PIN code first, Face ID second.

This workaround works for me.

Does not work for me.
But PIN also doesn't work.

For me this only worked for me when I also reenabled bitwarden in the iOS settings as a password app (after doing the steps above).

[YangH9]

I have also encountered this problem
IPhone 13 Pro Max version iOS 17.6.1
IPhone 13 version iOS 17.6

[fratoff91]

For me this only worked for me when I also reenabled bitwarden in the iOS settings as a password app (after doing the steps above).

Can confirm the auto-fill with Face ID issue was resolved after following these steps...

1. Open Settings app -> Passwords (grey icon with a key) -> Password Options
2. Toggle 'AutoFill Passwords and Passkeys' off and on
3. Toggle 'Bitwarden' on
4. Enter your master password
5. Try auto-fill again, should now work

Otherwise you can also try...

1. Open Bitwarden app -> Settings -> Account security
2. Under Unlock options, toggle 'Face ID' off and on

it doesn't work for me
iPhone 11
iOS 17.6.1

[Johannp02180]

For me, I had issues right after updating to 2024.8.1 from the appstore. I can enable/disable faceid from the bitwarden app but never prompts, so I reinstalled the app. This fixed prompting from the app and from the share settings --> "autofill with bitwarden." However, when autofilling from the keyboard in a login field, it does prompt for faceid, and only has unlock with pin option. If I disable unlock with pin, the popup only prompts for master password.

[fratoff91]

Bitwarden Beta

• I'm using the new native Bitwarden Beta app and I'm aware that legacy .NET app bugs should be reported in bitwarden/mobile

Steps To Reproduce

Face ID doesn't work when trying to autofill a login on a site.

Expected Result

when i press to login on a site with autofill, bitwarden should open and unlock automatically with faceid

Actual Result

when I press to login on a site with autofill, Bitwarden only allows me to unlock it via pin (if set) or master password

Screenshots or Videos

movstash_cI7bE78x.mp4

Additional Context

No response

Build Version

2024.8.0 (288)

Environment Details

iPhone 11 version iOS 17.6.1

Issue Tracking Info

• I understand that work is tracked outside of Github. A PR will be linked to this issue should one be opened to address it, but Bitwarden doesn't use fields like "assigned", "milestone", or "project" to track progress.

The 2024.9.0 (1080) Beta version resolved this issue

[DougLemley]

Same issue:
iPhone 15 ProMax.

My older iPads are not affected. I have a ticket open with Bitwarden. They seem apathetic. Coincidentally, we're moving to Keeper Security at work. I like it. I'm considering moving my family plan from Bitwarden to Keeper. The delay in Bitwarden addressing this issue - which happened in the most recent update for me - is unacceptable.

[ImpetuousRacer]

Here is what worked for me…

1. DISABLE PIN CODE option in BitWarden
2. Turn off autofill in iOS settings
3. Reenable autofill, you will be prompted to enter master password
4. Now it will work again, and now you can reenable PIN

My issue was Face ID would work to login but not for autofill. Every time I used autofill it would ask for PIN. Turning off PIN it would ask for master password on each autofill. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app did not work. When disabling autofill and reenabling with PIN code, when reenabling it would prompt for PIN code and still ask for PIN on each autofill.

[wilhelmmedetz]

Here is what worked for me…

1. DISABLE PIN CODE option in BitWarden
2. Turn off autofill in iOS settings
3. Reenable autofill, you will be prompted to enter master password
4. Now it will work again, and now you can reenable PIN

My issue was Face ID would work to login but not for autofill. Every time I used autofill it would ask for PIN. Turning off PIN it would ask for master password on each autofill. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app did not work. When disabling autofill and reenabling with PIN code, when reenabling it would prompt for PIN code and still ask for PIN on each autofill.

Above steps worked for me on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18

[Johannp02180]

Here is what worked for me…

1. DISABLE PIN CODE option in BitWarden
2. Turn off autofill in iOS settings
3. Reenable autofill, you will be prompted to enter master password
4. Now it will work again, and now you can reenable PIN

My issue was Face ID would work to login but not for autofill. Every time I used autofill it would ask for PIN. Turning off PIN it would ask for master password on each autofill. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app did not work. When disabling autofill and reenabling with PIN code, when reenabling it would prompt for PIN code and still ask for PIN on each autofill.

Above steps worked for me on iOS 18 and iPadOS 18

I can confirm this worked for me on iOS 17.6.1, version 2024.8.1. I want to add tho at first, I had Face ID off in bitwarden settings, and followed the instructions but turning on Face ID afterwards did not work. I had to enabled FaceID in bitwarden settings first, turn off autofill, turn on, then enable pin. Thanks!

[ghjaili]

Same issue on both devices:
iPhone 13 pro
iPad Air Gen5

Problem still persist using 2024.9.1 on iPhone 13 pro.

The iPad Air Gen5 issue was solved in this release.

[colosus1]

Problem still persists for me using 2024.9.1 on iPhone SE.

[DougLemley]

Still persists in 2024.9.1 (10922) on iPhone 15 ProMax. Bitwarden support states that this release specifically did not address this issue. Maddening.

[colosus1]

@DougLemley

Still persists in 2024.9.1 (10922) on iPhone 15 ProMax. Bitwarden support states that this release specifically did not address this issue. Maddening.

I guess still no ETA from support either?

[DougLemley]

@colosus1

This was their response to me verbatim:

"The most recent release was never said to be the one addressing this specific issue as the Github issue is still shown as open: #892

Once that Github issue is shown as closed, you can expect the release for the specific issue you've mentioned to be repaired on the following release.

Apologies for the inconvenience."

[colosus1]

@colosus1

This was their response to me verbatim:

"The most recent release was never said to be the one addressing this specific issue as the Github issue is still shown as open: #892

Once that Github issue is shown as closed, you can expect the release for the specific issue you've mentioned to be repaired on the following release.

Apologies for the inconvenience."

Thanks for that. This is really disappointing and an inconvenience. Might be time to look for another PW manager.

[vvolkgang]

👋🏾 Our most recent release included several Face ID / Biometrics related fixes, but they've not been linked to this specific GitHub issue. Rest assured our team is monitoring reports and addressing them!

We're looking for more info from users experiencing this issue with the 2024.9.1 (1092) release. Our team has the following questions:

1. Is Face ID enabled in Bitwarden settings and can it be used to unlock the vault in the main app?
2. Is the “Autofill biometric unlock for this account is disabled pending verification of master password.” error being displayed on the vault unlock screen in the extension?
   1. Does Face ID work on subsequent autofills after unlocking the extension initially with a Masterpassword or PIN?
3. Can you record a video of it not working?

[ghjaili]

👋🏾 Our most recent release included several Face ID / Biometrics related fixes, but they've not been linked to this specific GitHub issue. Rest assured our team is monitoring reports and addressing them!

We're looking for more info from users experiencing this issue with the 2024.9.1 (1092) release. Our team has the following questions:

1. Is Face ID enabled in Bitwarden settings and can it be used to unlock the vault in the main app?

2. Is the “Autofill biometric unlock for this account is disabled pending verification of master password.” error being displayed on the vault unlock screen in the extension?

   1. Does Face ID work on subsequent autofills after unlocking the extension initially with a Masterpassword or PIN?

3. Can you record a video of it not working?

On my iPhone 13 Pro running iOS 18, Autofill isn't working correctly. When I try to use it, I get prompted for my master password with a message saying "Autofill biometric unlock for this account is disabled pending verification of master password." After entering my password, a warning popup appears about KFD memory settings. Clicking "Continue" does nothing, shows an empty keyboard, and returns me to the start.

Step1:

Step2:

Step3:

Step4:

Step5: Go to Step1

[DougLemley]

Is Face ID enabled in Bitwarden settings and can it be used to unlock the vault in the main app?

Is the “Autofill biometric unlock for this account is disabled pending verification of master password.” error being displayed on the vault unlock screen in the extension?
~~~~ No. This message is presented upon attempting to populate creds into an app.

Does Face ID work on subsequent autofills after unlocking the extension initially with a Masterpassword or PIN?
~~~~ No. @ghjaili illustrates what's happening perfectly.

It's maddening that this has been an issue for as long as it has. Please fix it before you lose another customer. 

[dawid-woitaschek]

Could anyone fix this please? It's driving me insane and I'm about to switch from Bitwarden just because Safari is asking me for the master password.

Every. Single. Time.

Just reduced the RAM stuff in my Bitwarden account (self hosted) to 64 mb, but not helping at all.

[DougLemley]

@dawid-woitaschek isn't it wonderful when you pay for a product, and the product maker breaks the most basic of functions, only to be seemingly clueless about how to fix it? It's been WEEKS. Usually, only Microsoft makes me this angry.

[dawid-woitaschek]

@DougLemley Dunno what to add. And yeah, somehow Bitwarden manages to get to that code quality of Microsoft. But I don't want to talk about O365 issues, etc. on my vacation...

Bitwarden is still my fav out of all password managers... But man, they need to address this with a high prio.

It's faster to open the app, where FaceID obviously is working just fine, and copy/paste the passwords from there.

Maybe there was some limitation introduced by Apple in the iOS 18 Safari? Maybe I will check their changelogs later.

[DougLemley]

@dawid-woitaschek lol def don't stress over on vacation! Last note: my issue began before the release of iOS 18. The problem happens on both an iPhone 15 ProMax and a 16 ProMax. But not on my 7-year-old iPad or my 3-year-old iPad Pro. Insanity.

[KatherineInCode]

👋🏻 I've been working on this for a couple of days, and in addition to my colleague's questions above, I had a few more for people who are experiencing this issue:

1. Are you experiencing it on a fresh installation of the native app, or was it an upgrade from the previous non-native app with account data etc. still intact?

2. Have you recently changed or re-set up Face ID on your device, such as adding an alternate appearance, or setting it up on a new device?

3. Do you have custom KDF settings, and if so, are you on Argon2 or PBKDF2 SHA-256?

[dawid-woitaschek]

@KatherineInCode

Hi Katherine,

1. First observed after the update but a fresh install doesn't help either.

2. Nope. Nothing changed on FaceID. As written by others the FaceID check works just fine while opening the app itself. In my case it's just the AutoFill thing (like in Safari in password fields) which isn't working with FaceID or the PIN. It will always ask for the master password, output a warning about high iterations and do nothing in the end. Bitwarden closes then and you're back to the logon form in Safari, etc.

3. Argon2 in my case (lowered the KDF memory to 64 mb in my last try):
   

The KDF settings were not a problem at all since switching to Argon2 a good while ago. Therefore the warning is just confusing.

[KatherineInCode]

Thank you, that was super helpful.

So, I think there are actually several different things going on here. Some of them should be handled with PR 995, which improves how we handle biometrics by removing a redundant check that was relatively fragile.

Some others look to be related to KDF settings, and I'm able to reproduce them on the non-native app as well. It appears there may be a workaround of setting up Face ID after changing KDF settings, but I'm still investigating the details.

[dawid-woitaschek]

@KatherineInCode Sooo how long do we have to wait for the App Store release containing this PR which will hopefully fix all this drama?

[KatherineInCode]

We have created a release candidate that is currently going through our testing/release processes.

[dawid-woitaschek]

@KatherineInCode

I can confirm: FaceID finally works in the Beta channel! So Bitwarden is finally usable again!

Thank you very much for the effort!

[ghjaili]

Still not working on iOS 18.1 (22B83)

[ghjaili]

Fixed in 2024.10.0 (1651).
Thank you