[PM-36853] Misnomer: "Lock with master password on restart" (when setting up 'Unlock with PIN')

[pamperer562580892423]

Steps To Reproduce

(precondition: no unlock-PIN set yet!)

1. Go to 'File' --> 'Settings'
2. Check 'Unlock with PIN'

Expected Result

The dialog that opens should contain the "checkable" option "Require master password on app restart" (or similar).

Actual Result

Well, it does contain a "checkable" option - but it is a misnomer as it says: "Lock with master password on restart".

Screenshots or Videos

(see "Additional Context")

Additional Context

If you think of it, the phrase "Lock with master password on restart" doesn't make any sense, as the app locks itself (depending on the session timeout settings) - and it is locked when you restart it. It can't be locked by entering the master password. The desktop app only can be unlocked with the master password after a restart (and when that option was checked).

Therefore, as written above, that option should (probably) be called "Require master password on app restart" - in accordance with the other BW clients (and as that actually is, what that option does if you activate it):

 

Browser extension 2026.3.0:

 

Android App 2026.4.0:

 

PS: To specify it:

• the term "Lock (with master password)" is wrong --> it should say "Require master password..." instead
• and "... on restart" is too unspecific (on system restart? on app restart? ...?) --> it should say "... on app restart" (just as it says "... on browser restart" in the browser extension and "... on app restart" in the Android app)

Operating System

Windows

Operating System Version

11 Home 25H2 Build 26200.8328

Installation method

Direct Download (from bitwarden.com)

Build Version

Version 2026.3.1
SDK 'main (7637fdf)'
Shell 39.2.6
Renderer
142.0.7444.226
Node 22.21.1
Architecture x64

(BW EU cloud account)

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.

[bitwarden-bot]

Thank you for reporting this issue! We've added this to our internal tracking system.
ID: PM-36853
Link (for internal use): https://bitwarden.atlassian.net/browse/PM-36853

[rmcdowell-bitwarden]

Hi there,

Thank you for reporting this to us! Your report has been escalated for further investigation. If you have more information that can help us, please add it below.

Thanks!

[bwbug]

@rmcdowell-bitwarden A good place to start looking would be here:

clients/apps/desktop/src/auth/components/set-pin.component.html

Line 25 in cfc09ce

<span>{{ "lockWithMasterPassOnRestart1" | i18n }}</span>

There seems to the some convoluted history in which the string lockWithMasterPassOnRestart ("Lock with master password...") was replaced with lockWithMasterPassOnRestart1 ("Require master password..."), but later the contents of lockWithMasterPassOnRestart1 were reverted to "Lock with master password...", while the "Require master password..." string was moved to a newly created string named requireMasterPasswordOnAppRestart (in PR #16432).

Interestingly, the name chosen for the checkbox form component is requireMasterPasswordOnClientRestart, but the label pulls a string from the variable lockWithMasterPassOnRestart1. Perhaps the fix is as simple as replacing lockWithMasterPassOnRestart1 with requireMasterPasswordOnAppRestart on Line 25 of set-pin.component.html:

clients/apps/desktop/src/auth/components/set-pin.component.html

Lines 15 to 26 in cfc09ce

	<label
	class="tw-flex tw-items-start tw-gap-2"
	*ngIf="showMasterPasswordOnClientRestartOption"
	>
	<input
	class="tw-mt-1"
	type="checkbox"
	bitCheckbox
	formControlName="requireMasterPasswordOnClientRestart"
	/>
	<span>{{ "lockWithMasterPassOnRestart1" | i18n }}</span>
	</label>