Intune App Packaging

Deploy Bitwarden Desktop via Intune | Win32 Guide

Published 17 March 2026 · 5 min read

Bitwarden Desktop is the open source password manager widely adopted for business use. There are two installer variants: the standard per-user EXE and a machine-wide MSI for enterprise deployment. For Intune, the machine-wide MSI is the better choice as it installs to Program Files and is manageable at device level. This guide covers both options.

Contents
  1. Per-user EXE vs machine-wide MSI
  2. Download the installer
  3. Wrap with the Content Prep Tool
  4. Add the app in Intune
  5. Install and uninstall commands
  6. Detection rule

Per-user EXE vs machine-wide MSI

Bitwarden provides two Windows installers:

Download the installer

For Intune deployment, download the machine-wide MSI from:

https://bitwarden.com/download/

Scroll to Desktop App and look for the Windows MSI option. The filename will be Bitwarden-x.x.x-x64.msi.

Wrap with the Content Prep Tool

IntuneWinAppUtil.exe -c "C:\AppSource\Bitwarden" -s "Bitwarden-2024.x.x-x64.msi" -o "C:\IntunePackages"

Add the app in Intune

Intune Admin Centre → Apps → Windows → + Add → Windows app (Win32)
  1. Upload the .intunewin file
  2. Name: Bitwarden
  3. Publisher: Bitwarden Inc.

Install and uninstall commands

⚙️
Program settings
[]
Install commandStandard silent MSI install
msiexec /i "Bitwarden-2024.x.x-x64.msi" /quiet /norestart
Uninstall command
msiexec /x "Bitwarden-2024.x.x-x64.msi" /quiet /norestart
Install behaviourMachine-wide MSI installs to Program Files
System
Device restart behaviour
No specific action

Detection rule

🔍
File detection rule
[]
Rule type
File
Path
C:\Program Files\Bitwarden
File or folder name
Bitwarden.exe
Detection method
File or folder exists
💡
Test your detection rule first
Before deploying to users, install the app manually on a test device and verify the detection rule matches. Check the file path or registry key exists before assigning to a group.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I deploy Bitwarden Desktop silently via Intune?

Use: Bitwarden-Installer-x.x.x.exe /S. Bitwarden uses an NSIS installer. The /S switch (capital S) runs the install silently. The app installs per-user by default so set install behaviour to User in Intune.

Q: Does Bitwarden Desktop install per-user or machine-wide?

Bitwarden Desktop installs per-user into AppData by default. Set the install behaviour to User in Intune, not System. The machine-wide installer is available separately as an MSI for enterprise deployments from the Bitwarden website.

Q: Is there a machine-wide Bitwarden installer for Intune?

Yes. Bitwarden provides a machine-wide MSI installer designed for enterprise deployment at bitwarden.com/download. The MSI installs to Program Files for all users and is the recommended choice for Intune deployment.

Q: How do I pre-configure Bitwarden for my organisation?

If you use Bitwarden Business or Enterprise, deploy a registry key or use the Bitwarden GPO templates to pre-configure the self-hosted server URL. This ensures users connect to your organisation vault automatically.

More App Packaging Guides
→ Deploy Git for Windows via Intune→ Deploy Wireshark via Intune
Installer typeMSI (machine-wide) - use this for Intune
Install pathC:\Program Files\Bitwarden
Silent installYes - /quiet /norestart
Per-user EXE also availableNot recommended for Intune system context
Reboot requiredNo
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