In this guide, I will show you how to perform Bitwarden app deployment using Intune. On Intune-managed devices, you can deploy Bitwarden password manager either from the new Microsoft Store or as a Win32 app.
The Bitwarden password manager lets you securely generate, store, and share passwords from any location, browser, or device. To secure the passwords, it uses an advanced AES-256 encryption cipher, which is known for its unbreakable security.
If you are still on LastPass and want to move all your data to Bitwarden, I have published a detailed guide on migrating from LastPass to Bitwarden. Bitwarden also offers enterprise licensing plans for businesses to provide advanced capabilities for larger organizations.
The Bitwarden app deployment in your enterprise can be done using Group Policy, Microsoft Intune, ConfigMgr, and other tools. This guide, however, focuses on using Microsoft Intune to install the Bitwarden desktop application on Windows devices.
Bitwarden Win32 App vs Bitwarden MS Store app
The Bitwarden app deployment in Intune can be done in two ways.
- Create Bitwarden Win32 app and deploy it to devices via Intune
- Use the new Microsoft Store app method to distribute the Bitwarden app using Intune.
Among the methods described above, using the new Microsoft Store app to deploy Bitwarden offers more advantages when compared to a Win32 app. Creating a Win32 app requires more time, and keeping the Bitwarden Win32 app updated to the latest version is a challenge.
When you use Intune to install the Bitwarden app from the new Microsoft Store, you simplify the overall deployment process. When new versions of the Bitwarden app are released, Intune automatically updates them on all devices.
Prerequisites
If you are installing Bitwarden via the new Microsoft Store apps using Intune, there are some prerequisites that you must be aware of.
- The client devices must support at least two core processors to successfully install and run Microsoft Store apps.
- To install the apps from the new Microsoft Store, the devices need to be able to support the Intune Management Extension (IME).
- The client devices need access to the Microsoft Store and the destination content to install Microsoft Store apps. If your administrator has blocked the Microsoft Store, app deployments will fail.
- I recommend reading the guide on deploying apps using the new Microsoft Store with Intune to understand the benefits that it provides over apps deployed through the Microsoft Store (Legacy).
Bitwarden App Deployment using Intune
Here are the instructions for using Microsoft Intune to install the Bitwarden desktop application on Windows devices.
First, add the Bitwarden app to Intune using the following steps:
- Sign in to the Microsoft Intune Admin Center.
- Go to Apps > Windows and select Add.
- In the Select app type pane, select Microsoft Store app (new) under the Store app section.
On the App Information tab, select the option “Search the Microsoft Store app (new).” In the search bar, type “Bitwarden,” and from the search results, select the Bitwarden app.
The search display panel features a search bar and includes the following columns:
- Name: Displays the name of the app
- Publisher: shows the publisher of the app
- Type: UWP
Once you have selected the app, you can now configure the basic details of the Bitwarden Windows app. Thanks to Microsoft, the majority of the basic information about the UWP app, such as the name, description, and publisher information, is automatically populated.
You can choose to display the Store app as a featured app in the company portal. Read how to display featured apps in Intune company portal for more information.
Scroll down to find an option to assign a logo for the Bitwarden app in Intune. Although specifying a logo for the app is optional, we recommend this step because it helps users identify the application and improves the overall user experience for the deployment. Also, see how to set logo for applications in Intune.
Once you have configured the required app information, click Next.
You have three options for assigning the Bitwarden app to users or devices:
- Required: The app is installed on devices in the selected groups.
- Available for enrolled devices: Users install the app from the Company Portal app.
- Uninstall: The app is uninstalled from devices in the selected groups.
You can test the Bitwarden app deployment in Intune with a pilot group, and once it works, you can scale it up to a larger set of users or devices.
Once you have finalized the assignments, click Next.
The Review+Create tab shows the summary of the Bitwarden app configuration. Review the configuration for the final time and select Create.
The Bitwarden app has been added to Microsoft Intune. You should see a notification confirming the new app created in Intune. In the next step, you’ll learn how to speed up the app deployment and monitor the installation status in Intune
Syncing the Intune Policies on Windows clients
After the Bitwarden app is deployed in Intune, the devices will get the app when they check in with the Intune service. You can also force sync Intune policies on your computers in case you don’t find the app installed or listed in the company portal. See also how to resolve Intune Company Portal issues if you encounter issues with the company portal app.
Monitor Bitwarden app deployment in Intune
In this section, I will show you how to monitor the Bitwarden app deployment in Intune. After the app assignment, you can track the deployment to see how many users or devices successfully installed the Bitwarden app and how many failed or were not installed.
In the Intune admin center, select Apps > Windows and use the search box to locate the Bitwarden app. Select the Bitwarden application, and on the Overview blade, you can see how many users or devices have successfully installed the store app.
The screenshot below shows that the Bitwarden app deployment is successful on two of our devices. For the remaining devices, the deployment is in progress, and once that is completed, the dashboard will be updated.
Verify Bitwarden app installation
To confirm if the Bitwarden desktop app installation is successful via Intune, sign in to one of the Windows devices. Click Start and type “Bitwarden,” and the app appears in the search results. To launch the app, click Open.
On Windows 11, the installed Bitwarden app also appears in the Apps > Apps & Features > Apps list.
This completes the steps to install Bitwarden password manager using Intune. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments section.
