How To Keepass 8.1
First Steps Tutorial
A brief tutorial showing you the essential usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will reveal how to really use KeePass. It describes only the basic usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Developing a new database
The initial step is developing a new password database. KeePass will store all of your passwords in such a database. To generate one, click 'File - New...' in the primary 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 will be the only password you'll ever have to consider from on now. It ought to be long and accumulated of mixed characters. Bear in mind 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 use a password, not a key file. Click into the password edit field and enter a password of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited in total, so feel free to even enter a complete sentence (just bear in mind that you'll 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 actual password entries. The password entries are grouped together in to the password groups you see on the left. So, depending on which group on the left you selected, it'll demonstrate the entries in this group in the best view. KeePass has created a couple of default groups for you, but you're no cost to delete them and create your own personal ones.
Adding an access
Time to store your very first password in the KeePass database! Right-click into the proper password entry view and choose 'Add Entry...' .A window will pop up. In this window it's simple to edit your entry: enter some title for this, an username, an URL, the specific password, etc. If that you don't need some of the fields, just leave them empty. When you're done, click [OK].
You'll see your new entry in the password list on the proper now.
How To Keepass 8.1
| 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 Keepass 8.1
Using entries
You got the newest entry in the password list now. Exactly what do you actually do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You've several options now. You are able to for example copy the username of the entry to the Windows clipboard. When you've copied it, you can post it into some other program of one's choice. The exact same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you are able to drag&drop fields into other windows. To see a good 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 Keepass 8.1
Saving the database
It's time for you to save our database. Click onto the 'Save' toolbar button (looks like a drive; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database initially, you now need to specify an area where you need the database file to be stored.
How To Keepass 8.1
More
That's it! You've made the initial steps in using KeePass! You can now have a look at the more advanced options that come with KeePass.
Passwords and Key Files: In the tutorial above we've encrypted the database utilizing a password. But KeePass also supports key files, i.e. you can lock your database using a file (which you can take with you 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 utilizing TANs for better security. KeePass supports TAN entries, by making them expire automatically when utilizing them.
Auto-Type: The auto-typing functionality is really a very powerful feature. In the tutorial above you've copied the username and password of an entry 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 could define whole sequences of keypresses that KeePass should type for you personally? That's just what the Auto-Typing feature does: it sends simulated keypresses for you really to other windows!
URL Field Capabilities: The URL field supports URLs of course. In the tutorial, you've learned that you could enter simple URLs into this field and KeePass will open the browser window for you. However the URL field can perform more! It actually 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, ...) of the entry.Command Line Capabilities: You can open .kdb files by passing the filename to the KeePass executable file. But did you realize that you can also send the password for the database and key file location over the command line? You can even utilize the command line to pre-select a vital file for you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass comes with a powerful plugin architecture. If you miss some functionality, have a look at the plugins page to see if you can find other people which have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Keepass 8.1
General information
When downloading KeePass, you have the decision 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 source code.
The installer and the portable version are described in more detail below.
The foundation 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:
Each time a new KeePass version has been released, you can update your existing KeePass installation, without losing any configuration settings. The steps are depending where package you're using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations also needs to be updated once you put in a new KeePass version. You will find the latest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Keepass 8.1
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team provides an installer, which copies KeePass to your hard disk drive, 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 data directory of the present user. This way 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's 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 have to uninstall the old version first. Your configuration options won't be lost.Uninstallation:
To be able to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, which will be accessible with a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in the program portion of the device control panel. If you also want to remove your configuration settings, you'll need to delete the configuration file in the applying data directory of one's account
Silent Installation:
The KeePass installer
KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe supports command line switches for silent installation, i.e. the program gets installed without asking an individual for target directory or association options. The default settings of the installer are used.The
/SILENT command line switch performs a quiet 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 during 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 the user wants to perform an update and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version is likely to be overwritten by the newest version. If you intend to move a preexisting KeePass installation to another path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the newest version will then display the destination path selection page again.
Options/Components:
The installation options/components are explained in detail here: What do the 2.x installation options/components mean in more detail?.
How To Keepass 8.1
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 the installation. It doesn't store anything on the body (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 access to its application directory. Otherwise, if it doesn't have, it'll try to store the configuration options (nothing security-relevant though) into the application form data directory of the currently logged on user. For more about this, see these pages
Installation:
KeePass does not have to be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your favorite ZIP program and KeePass is ready to be used. Copy it to an area 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 on the old ones. Your configuration settings will not 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.