Earlier this month, Proton Pass released a new desktop application. I had written previously about using Proton Pass, and my only real gripe was:
My big issue at the time, though, is that there wasn’t anything available for:
- macOS
- Safari
While the browser extension worked great in Firefox, I still like using Safari on macOS since it gives me a nice, consistent experience across my MacBook, iPhone, and iPad. While I could use the web app of Proton Pass, that just wasn’t a workflow that I enjoyed. The new desktop app, which is available for macOS, Linux, and Windows, solves that particular issue for me… kind of.
The one part that’s still missing is that there’s no Safari extension, so things like auto-fill won’t be available; I have to copy passwords out of Proton Pass and paste them into Safari. For some people, I could see this being a big deal. It’s actually not really a problem for me since I use Proton for my personal passwords and a business 1Password account for work credentials. As a result, at least on my work MacBook I don’t really want autofill because it means that I’m still going to be pasting in passwords for either personal things or work things… or I’ll have multiple password managers fighting with each other for autofilling things.
Another quality of life feature that’s still missing is the ability to use biometrics with the app. If I want the app to lock after a period of time, something that is mercifully configurable, the only current option is to use a PIN code. I can’t use Touch ID on my MacBook to simplify the process, which is what I do with 1Password. However, in an email announcing the release of the desktop app, Proton provided that as an item which was available on the roadmap:
What’s next for Proton Pass?
– Unlock with biometrics
– Item sharing via secure links (even with people who don’t use Proton Pass!)
– Support for identities
– Extra password (a password to unlock Proton Pass, separate from your Proton Account password)
I also think that offering up a separate password for just accessing Proton Pass is a nice move, too. Currently, my Proton password is a heinous, auto-generated mess that I would never have a hope of memorizing. This essentially means that if I need to access Proton Pass to get to my other accounts, I basically need another device so that I can access my password for the password manager. Historically, the password to my password manager is the only password I have memorized (and yes, there are ways to have an extremely strong, secure password that you can remember how to type.) While I would need a separate device regardless for MFA, I still like the idea of keeping a separate password that I actually know for my password manager without necessarily wanting to do the same with my entire Proton account.
To the surprise of no one given the release of Proton Pass on macOS, Linux, and Windows simultaneously, it’s an Electron app.
This wasn’t particularly shocking given that the multiplatform Proton Mail desktop app is also Electron. In 2024, I think pretty much anyone trying to release multiplatform desktop apps is going to focus on Electron for their own simplicity. It’s also in keeping with a lot of other password managers, as options like 1Password and Bitwarden also use Electron. The main complaint people tend to have with Electron versus truly native applications is performance, but I don’t exactly need my password manager to be a highly performant app. Also, if it’s good enough for my text editor, then I don’t see why it wouldn’t be good enough for my password manager.
With this release, the Proton Pass experience definitely improved. While I’m sure plenty of Safari users out there would still love to have autofill available, this still offers a much better experience than simply relying on the web app when operating in Safari. With the improvements already in the pipeline for future release, it only seems like the experience will improve over time as the application becomes increasingly robust.