Emergency Access#
What is Emergency Access?#
Emergency access is a feature in Bitwarden (and other password managers1) that allows you to give someone else access to your vault if you are unable to access it yourself. This is useful if you forget your master password, or if you are incapacitated in some way 
. Unfortunately, not all password managers have this feature, like 1Password. They have some other ways to recover your account if you forget your master password.2
Can Someone Access My Vault Without My Permission?#
There is usually a waiting period before your trusted contact can access your vault. When your trusted contact requests access, you will be notified, and you can deny them access if you want to. You have until the waiting period is over to deny them access. If you do not deny them access, they will be able to access your vault. This way, if a hacker takes over your trusted contact's account, they cannot immediately access your vault as well.
Should I Designate an Trusted Emergency Contact?#
If you have someone you trust in general, and trust technologically, it would be okay to designate them as your emergency contact. Just remember, your trusted emergency contact should also follow good security practices. You are only as strong as your weakest link, and if they get hacked, your vault can be compromised as well.