How To Install Keepass On Windows
First Steps Tutorial
A quick tutorial showing you the fundamental usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will show you how to actually use KeePass. It describes only the fundamental usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Developing a new database
The initial step is making a new password database. KeePass will store all of your passwords in such a database. To create one, click 'File - New...' however menu or click the leftmost toolbar button. A screen will appear, which prompts you for a master password and/or key file. The database is likely to be encrypted with the password you enter here. The password you enter here could be the only password you'll ever have to consider from on now. It should be long and developed of mixed characters. Remember that whenever someone gets your database file and guesses the password, he could access all passwords you stored in the database.
For this tutorial, we'll just make use of a password, not a key file. Click into the password edit field and enter a password of one's choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel liberated to even enter a whole sentence (just keep in mind that you will need to remember it).
KeePass 1.x Only
After clicking [OK], a second dialog appears, in which you have to repeat the master password you just entered in the previous dialog. This is in order to avoid accidental typing errors.
KeePass 2.x Only
After clicking [OK], a second dialog appears. In this dialog you can configure some generic database properties. For now, just leave everything as it is and click [OK].
So you see the main window. On the left, you start to see the entry groups. On the best, you see the specific password entries. The password entries are grouped together to the password groups you see on the left. So, depending where group on the left you selected, it'll demonstrate the entries in this group in the best view. KeePass has generated several default groups for you personally, but you're totally free to delete them and create your own ones.
Adding an entry
Time to store your 1st password in the KeePass database! Right-click into the proper password entry view and choose 'Add Entry...' .A screen will pop up. In this window you can now edit your entry: enter some title for this, an username, an URL, the actual password, etc. If that you do not need some of the fields, just leave them empty. When you're done, click [OK].
You'll see your brand-new entry in the password list on the proper now.
How To Install Keepass On Windows
| KeePass 2.40 | |
|---|---|
Installer for Windows (2.40): Download NowKeePass-2.40-Setup.exe Download the EXE file above, run it and follow the steps of the installation program. You need local installation rights (use the Portable version on the right, if you don't have local installation rights). | Portable (2.40): Download NowKeePass-2.40.zip Download the ZIP package above and unpack it to your favorite location (USB stick, ...). KeePass runs without any additional installation and won't store any settings outside the application directory. |
| Supported operating systems: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 (each 32-bit and 64-bit), Mono (Linux, Mac OS X, BSD, ...). | |
| KeePass 1.36 | |
|---|---|
| Installer for Windows (1.36):Download Now KeePass-1.36-Setup.exe Download the EXE file above, run it and follow the steps of the installation program. You need local installation rights (use the Portable version on the right, if you don't have local installation rights). | Portable (1.36):Download Now KeePass-1.36.zip Download the ZIP package above and unpack it to your favorite location (USB stick, ...). KeePass runs without any additional installation and won't store any settings outside the application directory. |
| Supported operating systems: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 (each 32-bit and 64-bit), Wine. | |
How To Install Keepass On Windows
Using entries
You got the brand new entry in the password list now. So what can you do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You have several options now. You can like copy the username of the entry to the Windows clipboard. When you've copied it, you are able to post it into some other program of your choice. The same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you can drag&drop fields into other windows. To see an example of how this works, see this site: Drag&Dropping Fields.
KeePass can open the URL you specified. To do this, just click 'URL(s) - Open URL(s)' in the context menu. KeePass begins the default browser and open the specified URL.
How To Install Keepass On Windows
Saving the database
It's time to save our database. Click onto the 'Save' toolbar button (looks like a drive; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database the very first time, at this point you need to specify a spot where you want the database file to be stored.
How To Install Keepass On Windows
More
That's it! You've made the very first steps in using KeePass! You can now have a look at the more complex top features of KeePass.
Passwords and Key Files: In the tutorial above we've encrypted the database using a password. But KeePass also supports key files, i.e. you can lock your database utilizing a file (which you can tote around on your USB stick for example). It even supports combining those two methods for maximum security.
TAN Entries: TAN entries are one-time passwords. Many banks are employing TANs for better security. KeePass supports TAN entries, by making them expire automatically when working with them.
Auto-Type: The auto-typing functionality is just a very powerful feature. In the tutorial above you've copied the username and password of an access to the clipboard. Wouldn't it be nice if KeePass would just type those strings for you personally into other windows? Wouldn't it be nice if you may define whole sequences of keypresses that KeePass should type for you? That's exactly what the Auto-Typing feature does: it sends simulated keypresses for you to other windows!
URL Field Capabilities: The URL field supports URLs of course. In the tutorial, you've learned as possible enter simple URLs into this field and KeePass will open the browser window for you. Nevertheless the URL field can do more! It really supports a variety of protocols (not just
http) and supports executing Windows command lines through the cmd:// virtual protocol. The field also includes a powerful substitution engine, replacing codes by other fields (username, password, ...) with this entry.Command Line Capabilities: You are able to open .kdb files by passing the filename to the KeePass executable file. But did you realize that you can even send the password for the database and key file location within the command line? You may also utilize the command line to pre-select a key file for you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass includes a powerful plugin architecture. If you miss some functionality, have a consider the plugins page to see if there are other folks that have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Install Keepass On Windows
General information
When downloading KeePass, you've the choice between 3 different packages:
- KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe: A specialist program for Windows.
- KeePass-2.xx.zip: A KeePass ZIP package (portable version).
- KeePass-2.xx-Source.zip: The origin code.
The installer and the portable version are described in more detail below.
The source code package contains everything required to compile KeePass. It provides the C#/C++ source code and header files, resource files, sources for building the installer, etc.
Updating KeePass:
Whenever a new KeePass version has been released, you can update your existing KeePass installation, without losing any configuration settings. The steps are depending which package you're using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations also needs to be updated when you use a new KeePass version. You'll find the latest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Install Keepass On Windows
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team provides an installer, which copies KeePass to your hard disk, creates shortcuts in the start menu and associates KDBX files with KeePass, if desired.
Additionally, KeePass is automatically configured to store its settings in the application form data directory of the present user. In this manner multiple users can play one KeePass installation without overwriting each other's settings (each user has his own configuration file). The setup program must run with administrative rights, however KeePass runs fine without administrative rights once it is installed.
Installation:
To put in KeePass, run the
KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file and follow the wizard.Updating:
Run the
KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file. You do not need certainly to uninstall the old version first. Your configuration options won't be lost.Uninstallation:
To be able to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, that will be accessible by way of a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in the program portion of the machine control panel. If in addition, you want to remove your configuration settings, you need to delete the configuration file in the application data directory of your account
Silent Installation:
The KeePass installer
KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe supports command line switches for silent installation, i.e. this program gets installed without asking the consumer for target directory or association options. The default settings of the installer are used.The
/SILENT command line switch performs a silent installation and shows a status dialog during the setup process. No questions will soon be asked though.The
/VERYSILENT command line switch performs a quiet installation and does not show a status dialog through the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to find the destination way to which KeePass is installed. However, when the installer detects a current KeePass installation, it assumes that an individual wants to do an update and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version is going to be overwritten by the brand new version. If you wish to move a preexisting KeePass installation to a different path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the brand new version will likely then display the destination path selection page again.
Options/Components:
The installation options/components are explained at length here: What do the 2.x installation options/components mean in more detail?.
How To Install Keepass On Windows
Portable version (KeePass-2.xx.zip file)
The portable version may be carried around on portable devices (like USB sticks) and runs on any computer directly from the device, without any installation. It doesn't store anything on your system (in contrast to the setup package, see above). KeePass doesn't create any new registry keys and it doesn't create any configuration files in your Windows or application data directory of one's user profile.
Make sure that KeePass has write use of its application directory. Otherwise, when it doesn't have, it'll try to store the configuration options (nothing security-relevant though) into the application data directory of the currently logged on user. For more about that, see these pages
Installation:
KeePass doesn't must be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your preferred ZIP program and KeePass is preparing to be used. Copy it to a spot of your option (for example onto your USB stick); no additional configuration or installation is needed.
Updating:
Download the newest portable package of KeePass, unpack it and copy new files over the old ones. Your configuration settings won't be lost (the settings are stored in the KeePass.config.xml file, which won't be overwritten, because KeePass ZIP packages don't include a KeePass.config.xml file).
Uninstallation:
Simply delete the KeePass folder. This may leave no trace of KeePass on your system.