Bitwarden App displays an empty screen on iMac (Monterey 12.7.3)

[BarryW1042]

Steps To Reproduce

Open the Bitwarden App

Expected Result

Expect to see the Bitwarden Vault

Actual Result

Blank Window

Screenshots or Videos

No response

Additional Context

No response

Operating System

macOS

Operating System Version

Monterey 12.7.3

Installation method

Mac App Store

Build Version

Version 2024.2.0 (20587)

Issue Tracking Info

• [X] 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.

[SergeantConfused]

Hi @BarryW1042,

Thank you for this report. Just to make sure that you and I are on the same page, could you please upload a screenshot that shows what you see when you launch the Bitwarden desktop client on your macOS machine?

Thank you in advance,

[BarryW1042]

I should add that the Safari Plug-in is working correctly. Just the desktop App is the issue.

[BarryW1042]

Sorry I am new here, I think my previous post did not go?

I attach a screenshot of the empty Bitwarden Window.

[SergeantConfused]

Hi @BarryW1042,

Thank you; That's helpful. Yes, we are aware of this behaviour and have been examining it internally; I will keep this GitHub report open so that it'd be possible to track this topic externally as well.

If you'd like to be able to use the Bitwarden desktop client in the interim, you can uninstall Bitwarden, reboot, and install the Bitwarden macOS desktop client via the .dmg file from here under (View desktop installation guides); Please bear in mind that the .dmg installation path does not include the Safari extension, so you may want to stick to your current setup if the Safari extension is more important to you than the desktop client.

Thank you again for taking the time to report this,

[BarryW1042]

Thank you very much for looking into this issue. I will stick with my current setup as I use the Safari Extension daily. I will follow this thread with interest.

Thanks again

Barry

[jjmtz70]

I have this same error, just noticed it today

[StarSeeker99]

I also have this same issue and noticed it after the recent update to the OS.

[eleftrik]

I was going mad with this problem. Just a few minutes ago I was able to solve this way:

• uninstall Bitwarden (drag to thrash)
• delete ~/Library/Containers/com.bitwarden.desktop/Data/Library/Application Support/Bitwarden folder
• install Bitwarden via Brew: brew install bitwarden

Now the applications opens again and it asks for credentials.

[BarryW1042]

Hi eleftrik,

I don't have ~/Library/Containers/com.bitwarden.desktop/Data/Library/Application Support/Bitwarden folder on my MAC

[jjmtz70]

I was going mad with this problem. Just a few minutes ago I was able to solve this way:

• uninstall Bitwarden (drag to thrash)
• delete ~/Library/Containers/com.bitwarden.desktop/Data/Library/Application Support/Bitwarden folder
• install Bitwarden via Brew: brew install bitwarden

Now the applications opens again and it asks for credentials.

This worked for me, thank you.

[eleftrik]

Hi eleftrik,

I don't have ~/Library/Containers/com.bitwarden.desktop/Data/Library/Application Support/Bitwarden folder on my MAC

@BarryW1042 Honestly I don't know, I'm a regular user just like you :)

[BarryW1042]

Just as an update...

I deleted Bitwarden and all references to it on my iMac. I downloaded the app again from the Mac App store but observe the same results.

[eleftrik]

Just as an update...

I deleted Bitwarden and all references to it on my iMac. I downloaded the app again from the Mac App store but observe the same results.

Indeed. I tried several times to uninstall / clean folders / reinstall, but it didn't work. @BarryW1042 Did you try to install Bitwarden via Brew?

[BarryW1042]

Brew...not yet

[jzleu]

Hi @BarryW1042,

Thank you; That's helpful. Yes, we are aware of this behaviour and have been examining it internally; I will keep this GitHub report open so that it'd be possible to track this topic externally as well.

If you'd like to be able to use the Bitwarden desktop client in the interim, you can uninstall Bitwarden, reboot, and install the Bitwarden macOS desktop client via the .dmg file from here under (View desktop installation guides); Please bear in mind that the .dmg installation path does not include the Safari extension, so you may want to stick to your current setup if the Safari extension is more important to you than the desktop client.

Thank you again for taking the time to report this,

Thanks I followed the link and that version seems to work. I was getting the attached screen print on the version from the apple store. I am running MacOS 12.7.3 Monterey

[luc-bw]

Hi Everyone,

We would appreciate community assistance in testing a beta build that targets this issue. If you can reproduce this behavior and would like to participate, please reach out to us via our contact form and reference this comment to sign up.

Thank you!

[jmbravo]

Something similar in Sonoma 14.1. I open the app and it keeps going round and round and I can't access my account

[SergeantConfused]

Hi @jmbravo,

It sounds like you're encountering this which is different from what is being discussed in this thread; I recommend checking if the steps in the comment here assist you.

If there's anything else you'd like to add, please feel free to post it in that GitHub thread.

All the best,

[jmbravo]

Hi @jmbravo,

It sounds like you're encountering this which is different from what is being discussed in this thread; I recommend checking if the steps in the comment here assist you.

If there's anything else you'd like to add, please feel free to post it in that GitHub thread.

All the best,

You're right. Thanks

[iFrog44]

Hey all, I have the same display with the Mac App Store version of Bitwarden (latest version) as @jzleu Downloading the dmg version works perfectly and since I don't use the Safari, extension, I doesn't matter so much since I have Firefox and Chrome with the extension if needed. What I am curious about though is, what makes Bitwarden's extension require the Mac App Store version to work in Safari? I have Down 4, IINA, Movist Pro, and PullTube apps that aren't even on the App Store and they all have working safari extensions. I read the page about Bitwarden's extension and that's why I'm a bit confused.

My iMac is model 17,1 27" late 2015, Mojave 12.7.3. Bitwarden version 2024.2.0 (App Store version) that causes the problems with display, but 2024.2.0 from DMG works perfectly. Also wanted to bring to the community that the MAS version will load if the iMac is booted in Safe Mode, so I'm thinking the display issues may be GPU driver issues since safe mode disables those.

[BarryW1042]

Hi Everyone,

We would appreciate community assistance in testing a beta build that targets this issue. If you can reproduce this behavior and would like to participate, please reach out to us via our contact form and reference this comment to sign up.

Thank you!

I filled in the contact form but in response to the Apple form it froze after I tried to send it. I am however not overly familiar with Mac OS so it may be best for me not to join. I will follow this thread with interest.

Regards, Barry

[jzleu]

Hi Everyone,

We would appreciate community assistance in testing a beta build that targets this issue. If you can reproduce this behavior and would like to participate, please reach out to us via our contact form and reference this comment to sign up.

Thank you!

Hi Luc, sorry for my ignorance, but is that the DMG under the standard installer heading found on the Bitwarden site?

[BarryW1042]

I am using the dmg from the Mac App Store because it includes the Safari Plug-In.

[iFrog44]

I am using the dmg from the Mac App Store because it includes the Safari Plug-In.

Hi @BarryW1042 The App Store release doesn't load on my iMac, I get that odd black and white pattern, even on a fresh install without any existing data. The DMG from the site works fine and the only difference seems to be the absence of the Safari plugin. The only way I can get the App Store version to load on this iMac is to boot in safe mode with graphics acceleration disabled, so something must be wrong with that version that's causing it to have problems with my graphics drivers. Since I don't use the safari extension, it's not a big deal. However, I asked in my initial post why Bitwarden has to come from the App Store to have a Safari extension? I have native Mac apps not in the App Store that all have a fully functional Safari extension. No one answered my question. Even after reading their disclaimer regarding Apple's change, it still din't make sense because of my other apps.

[BarryW1042]

Hi @iFrog44 It is rather puzzling that it does not include the Safari extension. I guess there must be a valid reason for it? Oh well, I will just have to wait for a resolution.

[BarryW1042]

FYI: Just had an Apple update. The current versions now running on my iMAC are...

OSX: Monterey 12.7.4 Safari: 17.4 (17618.1.15.111.5, 17618) Bitwarden: 2024.2.1

Unfortunately the issue still persists

Regards, Barry

[BarryW1042]

FYI: It also displays the same issue using the Duck Duck Go for Mac browser.

[BarryW1042]

FYI: When opening the (Apple App Store downloaded) Bitwarden App the screen appears as discussed above. I also note that that when the app is open, viewing the MAC Bitwarden Preferences, many preferences are greyed out and are therefore not available.

[iFrog44]

Hey @BarryW1042 if you can live without the Safari extension download the dmg from the Bitwarden site instead of the App Store and that copy works fine. I've been using that version while they resolve the issues with the Mac app store version. Also grab a copy of Chrome, or Firefox, and you can also use the extension with those while you wait.

That's the one thing I like about Bitwarden, it's not exclusively a Mac solution. It's cross platform. So, that's how I treat it. It makes things easier to deal with.

[BarryW1042]

Hi iFrog44 Thanks, I am going to set that up now on another Browser and use the 'Standard Installation' fro Bitwarden.

[BarryW1042]

For further information please refer to this note...

https://github.com/bitwarden/desktop/issues/290#issuecomment-521212371

The app works when the gpu is disabled. This has now been refered to the app developers.

[iFrog44]

For further information please refer to this note...

https://github.com/bitwarden/desktop/issues/290#issuecomment-521212371

The app works when the gpu is disabled. This has now been refered to the app developers.

@BarryW1042 I noticed with the latest App Store update the issue with the garbled window pattern still persists while downloading the same version from the site which only eliminates the safari extension works fine. I also noticed that running the. App Store version in a VM, or my other Mac with a different GPU, it also works as expected. Glad you got the attention of the developers. I was starting to think maybe the App Store version was no longer Monterey compatible, since the issue persists with each new release.

[SergeantConfused]

Hello everyone,

Could you please review the steps here (https://github.com/bitwarden/desktop/issues/290#issuecomment-521212371) and let me know if running the Bitwarden desktop client (Mac App Store) on macOS 12.7.3 or 12.7.4 with (--disable-gpu) changes anything?

Thank you in advance,

[TheCranston]

@SergeantConfused The --disable-gpu works for me on Sonoma 14.4 intel. Without the flag i get the blank/black screen which is being reported by others. I'm running the App Store version 2024.2.1 (21689)

[BarryW1042]

@SergeantConfused The --disable-gpu works for me on Sonoma 14.4 intel. Without the flag i get the blank/black screen which is being reported by others. I'm running the App Store version 2024.2.1 (21689)

That's great, hopefully there will be a fix.

[Hinton]

Hi all, this is most likely related to https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/41346 and seems to affect older iMac with Radeon graphics. I'm looking into if we can conditionally disable hardware acceleration until the root cause has been resolved.

Could someone on an affected machine go to chrome://gpu in a chrome browser, click Download Report to File and upload it here?

[TheCranston]

I've got an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX. No Radeon here.

[BarryW1042]

I have AMD Radeon R9 M390 in mine but I do not currently have Chrome installed. Perhaps someone who has will run the report. Although it appears from The Cranston it may be not the cause?

[iFrog44]

Here is my uploaded Chrome report as requested by @Hinton about-gpu-2024-03-18T14-35-32-195Z.txt iMac 17,1 27"

[Hinton]

Thank you, I have a device id which we can probably force hardware acceleration to be disabled for that hardware.

@TheCranston Hmm, that's also a dedicated gpu so could be a similar issue. Are you able to provide a gpu report?

[iFrog44]

@Hinton What I'm a bit confused about is: Why does the exact same version from the dmg from the site work without problems while the Mac app store version doesn't? Aren't they the exact same, other than the safari extension no longer being packaged outside the Mac app store?

[Hinton]

@iFrog44 they are. There are minor differences mainly some features that are only available in certain distribution channels. Where they do differ is in entitlements and sandboxing. Mac App Store apps are generally more restrictive in capabilities and it's possible that has an impact.

[iFrog44]

@Hinton Thanks, there was one question I asked a couple weeks ago that never got answered. it was out of curiosity to the Bitwarden Safari Extension. Even after reading the page about the packaging of the extension I was still a bit confused because I have a few apps not in the App Store that have Working Safari extensions that work with the current version of Safari, so I was unclear as to why the App store version of Bitwarden was the only version to have the extension.

Here is a screenshot of other functional Safari Extensions I have from apps not in the store.

[Hinton]

Bitwarden uses the newer Safari Web Extensions APIs which can only be distributed through the App Store, https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/659029. That application is probably using the older Safari App Extension.

[plinss]

Same issue on Ventura 13.6.3, running from the App Store with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 4 GB. (Note this is a MacPro 2010 running OpenCoreLegacyPatcher.)

Launching the app from a terminal via /Applications/Bitwarden.app/Contents/MacOS/Bitwarden --disable-gpu does resolve the problem.

[Hinton]

Hi all,

We will be shipping two improvements in the next desktop release.

1. https://github.com/bitwarden/clients/pull/5968 by @prithvi2k2 and https://github.com/bitwarden/clients/pull/8424 adds a toggle for disabling HW acceleration + a menubar which I believe should be accessible even with the blank screens.
2. https://github.com/bitwarden/clients/pull/8427 should automatically disable hw acceleration for devices with switchable graphics. We haven't tested this extensively though since we lack the necessary hardware.

[BarryW1042]

Please note that the current version with the blank screen does not allow the Bitwarden Preferences accesable on my MAC. The option is greyed out.

[pianoman10]

Hi all,

We will be shipping two improvements in the next desktop release.

1. [PM-3316] Feature addition - Toggle Hardware Acceleration [Desktop] #5968 by @prithvi2k2 and [PM-6978] Add menubar option for toggling hardware acceleration #8424 adds a toggle for disabling HW acceleration + a menubar which I believe should be accessible even with the blank screens.
2. [PM-6983] Disable hardware acceleration for bad GPUs #8427 should automatically disable hw acceleration for devices with switchable graphics. We haven't tested this extensively though since we lack the necessary hardware.

Hi. Thanks to the team for taking care of this issue When is the new desktop release expected? So that we can have the option to disable the GPU in the meantime as a workaround The other workaround of @plinss works for me, thanks mate

[chmtc94]

Same issue with macOS Ventura 13.6.5 and last update 13.6.6 on iMac late 2012 with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX 2 Go and Open Core Legacy Patcher 1.4.3.

Workaround of plinss also works fine for me 👍

Waiting for the Bitwarden update, I created a shell script BitwardenDesktop.scpt with the iMac Script Editor for easier launch when needed:

do shell script "open -a '/Applications/Bitwarden.app/Contents/MacOS/Bitwarden' --args --disable-gpu"

[iFrog44]

Same issue with macOS Ventura 13.6.5 and last update 13.6.6 on iMac late 2012 with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX 2 Go and Open Core Legacy Patcher 1.4.3.

Workaround of plinss also works fine for me 👍

Waiting for the Bitwarden update, I created a shell script BitwardenDesktop.scpt with the iMac Script Editor for easier launch when needed:

do shell script "open -a '/Applications/Bitwarden.app/Contents/MacOS/Bitwarden' --args --disable-gpu"

I also think using the non App Store release is also a suitable option. It doesn't have the graphics problems and while the Safari extension isn't included, I find it a far lesser issue to deal with because one could always use another browser where the extension is available.