How To Break Into Keepass
First Steps Tutorial
A short tutorial showing you the essential usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will show you how to truly use KeePass. It describes only the fundamental usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Creating a new database
The initial step is creating a new password database. KeePass will store all 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 will be the only password you'll ever have to consider from on now. It should be long and accumulated 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.
Because of this tutorial, we'll just use a password, not a key file. Click to the password edit field and enter a code of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel liberated to even enter a whole sentence (just bear in mind that you may need to keep in mind 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].
Now you see the main window. On the left, you start to see the entry groups. On the proper, you see the particular password entries. The password entries are grouped together to the password groups you see on the left. So, depending which group on the left you selected, it'll demonstrate the entries in this group in the best view. KeePass has established a couple of default groups for you personally, but you're totally free to delete them and create your own ones.
Adding an entry
Time for you to store your 1st password in the KeePass database! Right-click into the right password entry view and choose 'Add Entry...' .A window will pop up. In this window now you can edit your entry: enter some title because of it, an username, an URL, the particular password, etc. If that you do not need a number 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 right now.
How To Break Into Keepass
| 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 Break Into Keepass
Using entries
You got the newest entry in the password list now. So what can you actually do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You have several options now. You can as an example copy the username of the entry to the Windows clipboard. When you've copied it, you can post it into every other program of one's choice. Exactly the same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you are able to drag&drop fields into other windows. To see a typical example of how this works, see this site: Drag&Dropping Fields.
KeePass can open the URL you specified. To get this done, just click 'URL(s) - Open URL(s)' in the context menu. KeePass will begin the default browser and open the specified URL.
How To Break Into Keepass
Saving the database
It's time for you to save our database. Click onto the 'Save' toolbar button (looks like a disk; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database the very first time, you now need certainly to specify a location where you need the database file to be stored.
How To Break Into Keepass
More
That's it! You've made the very first steps in using KeePass! You can now have a go through the heightened top features of KeePass.
Passwords and Key Files: In the tutorial above we've encrypted the database employing a password. But KeePass also supports key files, i.e. you can lock your database utilizing a file (which you are able to carry 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 using TANs for better security. KeePass supports TAN entries, by making them expire automatically when utilizing 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 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 really to other windows!
URL Field Capabilities: The URL field supports URLs of course. In the tutorial, you've learned that you can 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 features a powerful substitution engine, replacing codes by other fields (username, password, ...) of this entry.Command Line Capabilities: You are able to open .kdb files by passing the filename to the KeePass executable file. But did you know that you can even send the password for the database and key file location over the command line? You can also utilize the command line to pre-select a key apply 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 others that have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Break Into Keepass
General information
When downloading KeePass, you've the option between 3 different packages:
- KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe: A tech 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 detail below.
The origin code package contains everything you need to compile KeePass. It includes 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 are able to 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 must also be updated once you put in a new KeePass version. You can find the latest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Break Into Keepass
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team offers 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 existing user. This way multiple users can use 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 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 is accessible by way of a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this program part of the machine control panel. If you also want to get rid of your configuration settings, you'll need to delete the configuration file in the application 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 silent installation and shows a status dialog through the setup process. No questions is likely to be asked though.The
/VERYSILENT command line switch performs a quiet installation and does not show a status dialog throughout the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to find the destination way to which KeePass is installed. However, when the installer detects an existing KeePass installation, it assumes that the consumer wants to do an upgrade and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version will be overwritten by the brand new version. If you wish to move a current KeePass installation to a different path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the newest version will likely 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 Break Into Keepass
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 unit, 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 use of its application directory. Otherwise, if it doesn't have, it'll attempt to store the configuration options (nothing security-relevant though) into the application form data directory of the currently logged on user. For more about that, see these pages
Installation:
KeePass doesn't have to be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your chosen ZIP program and KeePass is able to be used. Copy it to an area of your decision (for example onto your USB stick); no additional configuration or installation is needed.
Updating:
Download the latest portable package of KeePass, unpack it and copy brand new files within 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 can leave no trace of KeePass in your system.