User Manual
Browser Extension

Browser Extension

The vaultctl browser extension lets you autofill credentials, generate passwords, and save new logins directly from your browser.


Supported Browsers

BrowserSupportInstall Method
Google ChromeFullChrome Web Store or manual load
Chromium-based (Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Arc)FullChrome Web Store or manual load
FirefoxFullFirefox Add-ons or manual load
SafariNot yet supported--

Installation

  1. Open the Chrome Web Store (or your Chromium browser's extension store).
  2. Search for vaultctl and click Add to Chrome.
  3. Click Add Extension in the confirmation dialog.
  4. The vaultctl icon appears in your browser toolbar.

First-Time Setup

Click the extension icon

Click the vaultctl icon in your browser toolbar.

Enter your server URL

Type the URL of your vaultctl instance (e.g., https://vault.example.com). This is the same URL you use to access the web vault.

Log in

Enter your username and master password. If you have 2FA enabled, enter the TOTP code when prompted.

Done

The extension is connected. Your vault syncs automatically.


Autofill

The extension detects login forms on web pages and offers to fill your credentials.

How It Works

  1. When you visit a page with a login form, the extension matches the page URL against the URI fields in your login items.
  2. A small vaultctl icon appears inside the username or password field, or a notification banner appears at the top of the page.
  3. Click the icon or banner to see matching logins.
  4. Click a login to fill the form.

If multiple logins match the current URL, the extension shows all matches and lets you choose.

Click to Fill

For forms that are not auto-detected, you can manually fill credentials:

  1. Click the vaultctl icon in the toolbar.
  2. Search or browse for the login you need.
  3. Click Fill next to the item.

Clipboard Auto-Clear

When you copy a password, username, or other sensitive field from the extension popup, your clipboard is automatically cleared after 30 seconds.


Keyboard Shortcut

Open the extension popup quickly with a keyboard shortcut:

PlatformDefault Shortcut
macOSCmd + Shift + L
Windows / LinuxCtrl + Shift + L

You can customize this shortcut in your browser's extension settings:

  • Chrome: chrome://extensions/shortcuts
  • Firefox: about:addons > gear icon > Manage Extension Shortcuts

Building from Source

If you prefer to build and load the extension yourself:

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/vineethkrishnan/vaultctl.git
cd vaultctl/extension

Install dependencies

npm install

Build

npm run build

Load in your browser

Chrome / Chromium: Go to chrome://extensions, enable Developer mode, click Load unpacked, and select the extension/dist folder.

Firefox: Go to about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox, click Load Temporary Add-on, and select any file in the extension/dist folder.

The extension communicates with your vaultctl server over HTTPS. All encryption and decryption happens locally in the extension -- the server only receives and stores encrypted blobs.