Embedding KeePassXC-Browser as Safari Web Extension within KeePassXC on macOS #12002

sebastianlivoni · 2025-04-11T14:06:32Z

This pull request embeds the KeePassXC-Browser extension within the KeePassXC app on macOS. Safari 18.4 introduced the option to distribute Safari Web Extension outside App Store.

I've added the keepassxc-browser repository as a submodule. Currently this repository is linked to my own fork. I've submitted a pull request with required changes for the keepassxc-browser extension. The submodule must be changed to the original keepassxc-browser repository.

In order to test this, please build it with CMake option -DWITH_XC_SAFARI_WEB_EXTENSION=ON. Please make sure to use the release tool for signing the application. After this, the application must be opened once for the web extension to show in Safari or use the checkbox within the Browser Settings tab.

Example building command within the build directory:
cmake -DWITH_TESTS=OFF -DWITH_XC_ALL=ON -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DAPPLE_TEAM_ID="<your team identifier>" -DAPPLE_APP_IDENTIFIER="<your app identifier>" .. && make -j8 package && cd .. && ./release-tool appsign -I "<Your apple developer identitiy>" -f <path to the app> && cd build

Screenshots

An option for enabling the Safari Web Extension is shown in Browser-integration tab in the KeepPassXC app.

When the checkbox is clicked it opens the Safari and shows the an option to enable the extension.

Popup shown in toolbar:

Settings page:

Testing strategy

Conducted progressively as development continued.

Type of change

✅ New feature (change that adds functionality)

Copilot

Copilot reviewed 11 out of 23 changed files in this pull request and generated no comments.

Files not reviewed (12)

.gitmodules: Language not supported
CMakeLists.txt: Language not supported
release-tool: Language not supported
share/macosx/Info.plist.cmake: Language not supported
share/macosx/keepassxc_entitlements.cmake: Language not supported
src/CMakeLists.txt: Language not supported
src/browser/BrowserSharedMac.mm: Language not supported
src/browser/CMakeLists.txt: Language not supported
src/proxy/CMakeLists.txt: Language not supported
src/safariwebextension/CMakeLists.txt: Language not supported
src/safariwebextension/Info.plist: Language not supported
src/safariwebextension/SafariWebExtensionCheckbox.mm: Language not supported

varjolintu · 2025-04-11T15:31:10Z

src/CMakeLists.txt


 # macOS App Bundle
 if(APPLE AND WITH_APP_BUNDLE)
+    set(APPLE_TEAM_ID "G2S7P7J672" CACHE STRING "Apple Developer Team ID")


We need to check this ID.

its came from share/macosx/keepassxc.entitlements

varjolintu · 2025-04-11T15:32:52Z

Embedding the extension in the application itself prevents any extension updates. If there's some bug, only a new KeePassXC release will fix it with Safari.

TahirJalilov · 2025-05-24T18:28:27Z

Any news?

guoqiang5277 · 2025-06-03T02:28:59Z

When can the code be merged and released? What's the current progress? Can it be expedited? This feature is really needed.

varjolintu · 2025-06-03T03:42:14Z

When can the code be merged and released? What's the current progress? Can it be expedited? This feature is really needed.

Read my previous comment. Plus I haven't had time to review this properly yet. I would be still in favor of keeping the extension separate, not embedded.

guoqiang5277 · 2025-06-03T06:22:38Z

When can the code be merged and released? What's the current progress? Can it be expedited? This feature is really needed.

Read my previous comment. Plus I haven't had time to review this properly yet. I would be still in favor of keeping the extension separate, not embedded.

As a user, I don't care which method is used. What I'm more concerned about is when it can be used and when the passwords saved in KeepassXC can be used in Safari browser.

varjolintu · 2025-06-03T06:32:23Z

When can the code be merged and released? What's the current progress? Can it be expedited? This feature is really needed.

Read my previous comment. Plus I haven't had time to review this properly yet. I would be still in favor of keeping the extension separate, not embedded.

As a user, I don't care which method is used. What I'm more concerned about is when it can be used and when the passwords saved in KeepassXC can be used in Safari browser.

As a developer, I do care :) The extension is updated much more frequently than KeePassXC. If the extension is embedded to the main application, extension will not get updates unless a new version of KeePassXC is released.

sebastianlivoni · 2025-06-04T21:21:24Z

I believe the best approach is to embed the browser extension within KeePassXC.

I understand the concern about needing to update KeePassXC for macOS whenever a new version of the extension is released. However, the alternative - packaging the extension as a separate app - prevents KeePassXC from being able to send messages directly to the Safari extension.

By embedding the extension:

KeePassXC can communicate directly with the Safari extension such as unlocking and locking messages (not possible with packaging it as a separate app).
KeePassXC can open Safari preferences from within the app, making it easier for users to enable the extension.

Additionally, this seems to be the approach Apple intends Safari extensions to follow, so aligning with it makes sense.

sebastianlivoni · 2025-08-01T17:21:21Z

Would it be possible to change --recurse-submodules=no to --recurse-submodules=yes in TeamCity builds to clone the keepass-browser submodule for MacOS? Currently, it is disabled and hence the build fails for MacOS.

DrRamm · 2025-08-22T19:52:50Z

Any news?

guoqiang5277 · 2025-09-16T06:36:38Z

Any news?

varjolintu · 2025-09-16T07:14:53Z

Read the previous comments.

sebastianlivoni changed the title ~~Feature/safari web extension~~ Embedding KeePassXC-Browser in KeePassXC app on macOS Apr 11, 2025

sebastianlivoni changed the title ~~Embedding KeePassXC-Browser in KeePassXC app on macOS~~ Embedding KeePassXC-Browser in KeePassXC app on macOS for Safari Apr 11, 2025

This was referenced Apr 11, 2025

Add compatibility for Safari Web Extension keepassxreboot/keepassxc-browser#2509

Open

Implementation of Safari Web Extension and communication with KeePassXC. keepassxreboot/keepassxc-browser#2443

Closed

sebastianlivoni marked this pull request as ready for review April 11, 2025 14:28

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 11, 2025 14:28

Copilot AI reviewed Apr 11, 2025

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varjolintu self-requested a review April 11, 2025 15:24

varjolintu added feature: Browser pr: new feature Pull request adds a new feature labels Apr 11, 2025

varjolintu reviewed Apr 11, 2025

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varjolintu requested a review from phoerious April 11, 2025 16:13

sebastianlivoni changed the title ~~Embedding KeePassXC-Browser in KeePassXC app on macOS for Safari~~ Embedding KeePassXC-Browser as Safari Web Extension within KeePassXC on macOS Apr 12, 2025

sebastianlivoni force-pushed the feature/safari-web-extension branch from d982682 to 5ebcb6f Compare June 7, 2025 22:11

sebastianlivoni marked this pull request as draft June 18, 2025 23:06

sebastianlivoni force-pushed the feature/safari-web-extension branch from 8c1e059 to 361cf06 Compare August 1, 2025 15:24

sebastianlivoni closed this Aug 1, 2025

sebastianlivoni force-pushed the feature/safari-web-extension branch from 361cf06 to 56b63a9 Compare August 1, 2025 15:27

sebastianlivoni added 2 commits August 1, 2025 18:21

Safari Web Extension

17ad4be

Replace SafariWebExtensionHandler.swift with Objective-C version

0e0c9f2

sebastianlivoni reopened this Aug 1, 2025

sebastianlivoni added 2 commits August 1, 2025 18:24

Add submodule for keepassxc-browser

74106e5

Introduce caching for web extension socket check

84e2c4b

Update submodule url to https instead of ssh

08503bd

Fix formatting

95f3c54

sebastianlivoni marked this pull request as ready for review August 5, 2025 14:17

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Embedding KeePassXC-Browser as Safari Web Extension within KeePassXC on macOS #12002

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Embedding KeePassXC-Browser as Safari Web Extension within KeePassXC on macOS #12002

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