
How To Change Keepass Database Location
First Steps Tutorial
A brief tutorial showing you the basic usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will highlight how to really use KeePass. It describes only the fundamental usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Developing a new database
The very first step is developing a new password database. KeePass will store your entire passwords in such a database. To produce one, click 'File - New...' however menu or click the leftmost toolbar button. A window will appear, which prompts you for a master password and/or key file. The database will undoubtedly be encrypted with the password you enter here. The password you enter here would be the only password you'll ever have to keep in mind from on now. It must be long and accumulated of mixed characters. Keep in mind that after 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 make use of a password, not a key file. Click in to the password edit field and enter a code of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel absolve to even enter a complete sentence (just remember that you will need to consider 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 begin to see the entry groups. On the right, you see the specific password entries. The password entries are grouped together into 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 right view. KeePass has established a couple of default groups for you, but you're totally free to delete them and create your own ones.
Adding an entry
Time for you to store your very first password in the KeePass database! Right-click into the best password entry view and choose 'Add Entry...' .A window will pop up. In this window you can now edit your entry: enter some title because of it, an username, an URL, the actual password, etc. If that you don't need a few 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 right now.
How To Change Keepass Database Location
| 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 NowKeePass-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 NowKeePass-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 Change Keepass Database Location
Using entries
You got the 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 are able to like 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 can 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 become the default browser and open the specified URL.
How To Change Keepass Database Location
Saving the database
It's time and energy to save our database. Click onto the 'Save' toolbar button (looks like a computer; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database the first time, you now need to specify a location where you want the database file to be stored.
How To Change Keepass Database Location
More
That's it! You've made the initial 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 utilizing a password. But KeePass also supports key files, i.e. you are able to lock your database utilizing a file (which you can tote around on your own 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 really 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 can define whole sequences of keypresses that KeePass should type for you personally? That's precisely 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. But the URL field may do more! It really supports many different 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, ...) with this entry.Command Line Capabilities: You can open .kdb files by passing the filename to the KeePass executable file. But did you understand that you can even send the password for the database and key file location over the command line? You may also use the command line to pre-select a vital 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 you will find other people that have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Change Keepass Database Location
General information
When downloading KeePass, you have the decision 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 foundation code.
The installer and the portable version are described at length below.
The origin code package contains everything required to compile KeePass. It includes the C#/C++ source code and header files, resource files, sources for building the installer, etc.
Updating KeePass:
When a new KeePass version has been released, you can update your existing KeePass installation, without losing any configuration settings. The steps are depending on which package you're using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations must also be updated whenever you use a new KeePass version. You'll find the newest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Change Keepass Database Location
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 current user. In 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 install 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 will not be lost.Uninstallation:
To be able to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, that will be accessible with a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this system area of the device control panel. If in addition you want to get rid of your configuration settings, you'll need to delete the configuration file in the application data directory of your user profile
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 the user 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 undoubtedly be asked though.The
/VERYSILENT command line switch performs a silent installation and does not show a status dialog through the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to choose the destination way to which KeePass is installed. However, when the installer detects an existing KeePass installation, it assumes that the user wants to execute an update and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version will be overwritten by the newest version. If you want to move a preexisting KeePass installation to another path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the newest version will 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 at length?.
How To Change Keepass Database Location
Portable version (KeePass-2.xx.zip file)
The portable version could 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 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 your user profile.
Ensure 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 this, see these pages
Installation:
KeePass does not must be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your preferred ZIP program and KeePass is able to be used. Copy it to an area of your choice (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 will leave no trace of KeePass on your own system.
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