How to set up Vaultwarden

Private password manager. This guide covers how to access it, log in for the first time, configure the basics, and where its data lives so you can back it up.

1. What is Vaultwarden?

Self-hosted Bitwarden-compatible password manager. Store passwords, secure notes, and TOTP codes on your own NAS — works with the official Bitwarden browser extension and mobile apps.

2. Before you start

The Bitwarden web vault (browser tab) requires HTTPS by browser policy. Use the Bitwarden BROWSER EXTENSION or MOBILE APP to access your vault over plain HTTP — they're exempt from the HTTPS gate. After install, see Settings → Passwords for the full access guide and admin token.

3. How to access it

Once it's enabled, Vaultwarden runs on your SparkBox at:

http://<your-NAS-IP>:8222

Web vault opens over HTTP only on localhost. For LAN access use the Bitwarden browser extension or mobile app (point them at this NAS:8222) — see Settings → Passwords.

4. First login

Vaultwarden's WEB VAULT (browser tab) won't load over plain HTTP from a non-localhost browser — that's a browser-side WebCrypto / secure-context rule, not a Vaultwarden bug. THREE paths that work on a fresh install: (1) BROWSER EXTENSION — install the official Bitwarden extension (Chrome / Firefox / Edge / Safari), in Settings → Self-hosted, point Server URL at http://NAS-IP:8222, log in, done. The extension is exempt from the HTTPS rule. (2) MOBILE APP — install the Bitwarden iOS / Android app, choose 'Self-hosted', set Server URL the same way. Also exempt. (3) ENABLE HTTPS via the NPM (Nginx Proxy Manager) tile — set up a hostname like vault.your-domain.com, get a Let's Encrypt cert, point it at sb-vaultwarden:80; then the web vault loads. The admin token for the /admin panel is in state/vaultwarden-admin-password.txt and is shown below.

If it instead asks for a password you didn't set, check Settings → Passwords in your SparkBox dashboard — every auto-generated credential is listed there.

5. Settings you can change

You can set these when you enable the module, or later from Apps → Vaultwarden in the dashboard:

• Vault Admin Token — Configurable value.
• Allow Signups — Configurable value.
• Vault Domain — Configurable value.

6. Where your data lives

Vaultwarden's config and persistent data are stored on the SparkBox host under:

/opt/sparkbox/modules/vaultwarden/config/

Backups via the SparkBox dashboard's Backup tile include this directory by default, so a single restore brings Vaultwarden back to its current state on a fresh install.

Next steps