How To Keepass
First Steps Tutorial
A short tutorial showing you the essential usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will show you 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 making a new password database. KeePass will store all of your passwords in this database. To generate one, click 'File - New...' in the primary menu or click the leftmost toolbar button. A screen will be, 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 consider from on now. It must be long and developed 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.
For this tutorial, we'll just make use of a password, not a key file. Click to the password edit field and enter a password of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel liberated to even enter an entire sentence (just remember 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 proper, you see the particular password entries. The password entries are grouped together into the password groups you see on the left. So, depending where group on the left you selected, it'll demonstrate the entries in this group in the proper view. KeePass has created a couple of default groups for you personally, but you're totally free to delete them and create your 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 screen will pop up. In this window it's simple to edit your entry: enter some title because of it, an username, an URL, the specific password, etc. If you never need a number 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 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 Keepass
Using entries
You got the brand new entry in the password list now. So what can you actually do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You've several options now. You are able to like copy the username of the entry to the Windows clipboard. When you've copied it, you are able to post it into any program of your choice. The 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 page: 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 begin the default browser and open the specified URL.
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Saving the database
It's time 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 need to specify a spot where you need the database file to be stored.
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More
That's it! You've made the very first steps in using KeePass! You can now have a go through the heightened options that come with 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 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 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? 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. However the URL field may do more! It really supports numerous 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 realize that you may also send the password for the database and key file location on the command line? You can even use the command line to pre-select a vital declare 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 others that have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
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General information
When downloading KeePass, you've the choice 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 foundation code.
The installer and the portable version are described in more detail below.
The source 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 should also be updated once you install a new KeePass version. You will find the most recent translation files here: KeePass Translations.
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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 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'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 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 part of the system control panel. If you also want to eliminate your configuration settings, you'll need to delete the configuration file in the application data directory of one's report
Silent Installation:
The KeePass installer
KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe supports command line switches for silent installation, i.e. this system 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 throughout 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 throughout the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to find the destination path to which KeePass is installed. However, when the installer detects a preexisting KeePass installation, it assumes that the user wants to do an upgrade and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version is likely to be overwritten by the brand new version. If you wish to move an existing KeePass installation to a different 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 at length here: What do the 2.x installation options/components mean in detail?.
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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 device, 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.
Be sure that KeePass has write use of its application directory. Otherwise, when it doesn't have, it'll attempt to store the configuration options (nothing security-relevant though) into the applying data directory of the currently logged on user. For more about this, see this page
Installation:
KeePass does not must be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your preferred ZIP program and KeePass is preparing to be used. Copy it to a spot 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 brand 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 system.