Proton Pass

ApplicationProton AG

Also called protonpass, proton password

Proton AGSecurity

Proton's password manager. The window is Proton Pass.exe. It uses a Proton account. It is not Bitwarden and not Proton VPN.

What you need to know

Proton Pass is Proton's vault. Bitwarden is a different vendor.

Proton Pass.exe uses a Proton account. It is not Bitwarden self-host, not 1Password, and not Proton VPN. KeePass remains a local kdbx with no Proton login.

What is it?: Proton's password manager
Same as Bitwarden?: No. Proton account, not self-host
Same as Proton VPN?: No. Different exe

Feex says

If you wanted Proton Pass and installed Bitwarden, I would treat that as the wrong vendor. Pass.exe wants a Proton account. NordPass is yet another company. Proton VPN does not store your logins.

What is Proton Pass?

Proton Pass is Proton AG's password manager. Proton Pass.exe is the Windows client. The account is Proton, not Bitwarden.org.

If you have never used it

If you already pay Proton for Mail, Proton Pass is their password manager, not Bitwarden. Download it from proton.me/pass/download. Proton Pass.exe is the Windows app. You sign in with a Proton account. Proton VPN is a different exe. It is not 1Password Watchtower and not a KeePass kdbx.

What is it used for?

Proton-account vault

Unlock with the same Proton login you use for Mail. Bitwarden uses a Bitwarden identity unless you self-host.

Aliases and Hide-my-email extras

Proton-tied alias features live here. That is not 1Password Watchtower.

Pass plus Mail plus VPN on one bill

A Proton bundle can include Pass. ProtonVPN.exe is still a different process.

Who is it for?

Proton Mail users who want the same vendor for passwords
People who should not install Bitwarden thinking it is Proton Pass
Anyone who opened Proton VPN and wondered where the vault went

Current status

Actively developed. This article is the Windows Pass app, not Proton Mail or Proton VPN.

How old is it?

Proton Pass launched in 2022, long after Proton Mail. It is the newest Proton security app in this set. Current Windows builds need a Proton account.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Free Pass

Pass Plus

Included in some Proton bundles

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	Windows 10 or Windows 11, per Proton Pass download
RAM	Light Electron-class desktop app

Resource profile

CPU demand: Low except unlock
Network demand: Proton account sync

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
Proton Pass.exe	Desktop vault

Startup components

Proton Pass.exe can sit in the tray if you allow it. That is not ProtonVPN.exe.

File locations

Common Proton Pass locations
Typical install	C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\Programs\Proton\Proton Pass\

File formats

Proton Pass vaultCSV import

Common problems

Signed into Proton VPN looking for passwords

Wrong app. ProtonVPN.exe is the VPN client. Pass is Proton Pass.exe.

People import to Bitwarden and think they are still on Proton

After export, the vault vendor changed. The Proton account no longer holds those copies.

Getting unstuck

Install from proton.me/pass/download

protonvpn.com is the VPN. bitwarden.com is a different manager.

Sign in with the Proton account, not a Bitwarden email field

Pass does not ask for a self-host URL.

Unlock Pass.exe before the browser extension

A locked app will not fill.

Alternatives

Bitwarden if you want open source and optional self-host. 1Password if you want Watchtower. Proton VPN if you meant the tunnel, not the vault.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	proton.me/pass/download Official installer or vendor page
Help	proton.me/support/pass Vendor support
Official site	proton.me/pass Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

The desktop vault is light. Sync uses the Proton account network path.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Proton Pass official site · Vendor product page
Proton Pass help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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