Mozilla is rebranding their LockBox password management service under the Lockwise name and getting ready to start a trial for the desktop versions of Firefox.

LockBox is a password management service that allows Mozilla users to synchronize their saved browser login credentials between iOS, Android, and the desktop versions of Firefox and stand-alone mobile apps.

With the upcoming trial on the desktop, Mozilla is rebranding the service under the Lockwise name and launching a redesigned password management service for the desktop versions of Firefox. This will allow Mozilla to offer a self-contained in-browser password management service that does not rely on third-party software.

While Mozilla is not ready to comment on this service, information can be pieced together by various bug reports [1, 2] that indicate Mozilla will be rebranding the service starting tomorrow, May 21st.

Mozilla has also already started, or will soon start, recruiting members using a promotion that is shown below. This promotion is not quite ready as the Lockwise button text appears to still be missing.

Firefox Lockwise Promotion

When clicking on the Lockwise button, you will be brought to the https://lockwise.firefox.com/ page, which is currently promoting the iOS and Android versions of the service.

Desktop study conducted through addon

The desktop study will be conducted using a Firefox Lockwise extension that will be installed into a participant's Firefox for desktop browser and is only available using Firefox 67 and later.

Firefox Lockwise Extension

When the extension is installed, the normal Logins and Passwords page will be transformed into the new Firefox Lockwise password management service as seen below.

Firefox Lockwise for Desktop

When logging into a site, Firefox will ask if you wish to save the credentials. If you allow it to, the saved credentials will be shown in the Firefox Lockwise page.

Saved Credentials

The Firefox Lockwise addon will also allow you to add new credentials manually by clicking on the New Login button.

Create New Login

When new credentials are stored in Lockwise, they will automatically be synchronized with a user's Mozilla account, which will then push the credentials to the LockBox for Android and iOS apps.

Firefox is hoping to have this feature ready for release by Firefox 68 or 69, but if you want to try it now in the Firefox 67 Beta and Firefox 68 Nightly builds, you can install the extension from the https://github.com/mozilla-lockwise/lockwise-addon/releases/ link.

Mozilla contemplating a paid premium version

According to a bug report, Mozilla is looking into whether Firefox Monitor and Lockwise can be turned into a premium product with extra paid-for features.

"What will people pay for with respect to Monitor (identity monitoring services) and Lockbox (password management and secure storage product)? what should our next functional requirements be? If Lockbox or Monitor could just do _____ [this], it would just put my mind at ease."

Mozilla hopes to begin experimenting with premium features in Q3.

Update 5/21/19 12:49 AM: Added the link to the Firefox Lockwise addon experiment.