How To Download Keepass
First Steps Tutorial
A brief tutorial showing you the essential usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will show you how to actually use KeePass. It describes only the basic usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Making a new database
The very first step is making a new password database. KeePass will store all your passwords in this database. To create one, click 'File - New...' in the main menu or click the leftmost toolbar button. A screen will be, which prompts you for a master password and/or key file. The database is going 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 must be long and built up of mixed characters. Keep 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 really 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 free to even enter a complete sentence (just keep in mind that you may 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 begin to see the entry groups. On the right, you see the actual 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 explain to you the entries in this group in the best view. KeePass has generated a few default groups for you, but you're totally free to delete them and create your personal ones.
Adding an access
Time to store your initial 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 for it, an username, an URL, the particular password, etc. If you never need a few 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 Download 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 Download Keepass
Using entries
You got the newest entry in the password list now. What can you do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You have several options now. You can 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 your choice. The same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you are able to drag&drop fields into other windows. To see an example of how this works, see these pages: Drag&Dropping Fields.
KeePass can open the URL you specified. To achieve this, just click 'URL(s) - Open URL(s)' in the context menu. KeePass will become the default browser and open the specified URL.
How To Download Keepass
Saving the database
It's time for you 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, at this point you have to specify an area where you need the database file to be stored.
How To Download Keepass
More
That's it! You've made the very first steps in using KeePass! Now you can have a consider the more advanced 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 can 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 using 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 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 precisely 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 that you can enter simple URLs into this field and KeePass will open the browser window for you. However the URL field may do 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, ...) 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 understand that you may also send the password for the database and key file location over the command line? You may also utilize the command line to pre-select an integral apply for you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass includes a powerful plugin architecture. If you miss some functionality, have a go through the plugins page to see if you will find other folks which have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Download Keepass
General information
When downloading KeePass, you have 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 foundation code.
The installer and the portable version are described at length below.
The origin code package contains all 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 which package you are using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations should also be updated whenever you install a new KeePass version. You'll find the latest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Download Keepass
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team has an installer, which copies KeePass to your hard 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 form data directory of the current 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 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 will not be lost.Uninstallation:
To be able to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, which is accessible with a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this system section of the device control panel. If in addition, you want to eliminate your configuration settings, you will need to delete the configuration file in the applying 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 quiet installation and shows a status dialog through the setup process. No questions will soon be asked though.The
/VERYSILENT command line switch performs a silent installation and does not show a status dialog during the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to choose the destination road to which KeePass is installed. However, once the installer detects a preexisting KeePass installation, it assumes that the consumer wants to execute an update and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version will soon be overwritten by the new version. If you intend to move an existing KeePass installation to some other 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 in more detail here: What do the 2.x installation options/components mean in more detail?.
How To Download 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 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 doesn't need to be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your favorite ZIP program and KeePass is preparing 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 most recent portable package of KeePass, unpack it and copy all new files within 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 can leave no trace of KeePass on your system.