How To Get Keepass
First Steps Tutorial
A short tutorial showing you the basic usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will show you how to really use KeePass. It describes only the fundamental usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Making a new database
The 1st step is creating a new password database. KeePass will store your entire passwords in this database. To produce 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 remember from on now. It ought to be long and accumulated 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 a key file. Click to the password edit field and enter a password of one's choice. The password edit control isn't limited in total, so feel free to even enter an entire sentence (just bear in mind that you'll 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 key window. On the left, you see the entry groups. On the proper, 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 explain to you the entries in this group in the right view. KeePass has created several 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 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 for this, an username, an URL, the particular password, etc. If you don't 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 right now.
How To Get 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 Get Keepass
Using entries
You got the new 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 are able to post it into every other program of one's choice. The same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you can 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 Get Keepass
Saving the database
It's time and energy to save our database. Click onto the 'Save' toolbar button (looks like a disk; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database initially, at this point you need certainly to specify a spot where you want the database file to be stored.
How To Get Keepass
More
That's it! You've made the first steps in using KeePass! Now you can have a look at the more complex 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 employing 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 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 may define whole sequences of keypresses that KeePass should type for you? 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 can enter simple URLs into this field and KeePass will open the browser window for you. But the URL field may do more! It actually supports numerous 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 this entry.Command Line Capabilities: You can 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 on the command line? You can even utilize the command line to pre-select a vital apply for you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass comes with a powerful plugin architecture. If you miss some functionality, have a go through the plugins page to see if there are other people which have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Get Keepass
General information
When downloading KeePass, you have the option 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 detail below.
The foundation code package contains everything you need to compile KeePass. It provides 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 are able to update your existing KeePass installation, without losing any configuration settings. The steps are depending where package you are using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations should also be updated when you use a new KeePass version. You'll find the latest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Get Keepass
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team has 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 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 set up 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:
In order to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, which will be accessible by a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this program portion of the machine control panel. If additionally 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. 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 quiet installation and shows a status dialog during the setup process. No questions is going to be asked though.The
/VERYSILENT command line switch performs a silent installation and does not show a status dialog throughout the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to find the destination road 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 is going to be overwritten by the new version. If you wish to move a preexisting KeePass installation to some other path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the brand new 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 Get Keepass
Portable version (KeePass-2.xx.zip file)
The portable version can 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 one's 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 usage 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 this page
Installation:
KeePass does not have to be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your preferred ZIP program and KeePass is able to be used. Copy it to a spot of your option (for example on your USB stick); no additional configuration or installation is needed.
Updating:
Download the newest portable package of KeePass, unpack it and copy brand new files over 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 will leave no trace of KeePass on your system.