How To Run Keepass
First Steps Tutorial
A brief tutorial showing you the basic usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial can tell you how to actually use KeePass. It describes only the basic usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Making a new database
The 1st step is making a new password database. KeePass will store all of your passwords in this database. To produce one, click 'File - New...' however 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 soon be encrypted with the password you enter here. The password you enter here will be the only password you'll ever have to keep in mind from on now. It should be long and built up of mixed characters. Bear in mind that whenever someone gets your database file and guesses the password, he could access all passwords you stored in the database.
With this tutorial, we'll just make use of a password, not a key file. Click in to the password edit field and enter a password of your 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 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 key window. On the left, you see the entry groups. On the right, you see the particular password entries. The password entries are grouped together into 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 generated several default groups for you, but you're no cost to delete them and create your own personal ones.
Adding an entry
Time to store your 1st 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 you can now edit your entry: enter some title for this, an username, an URL, the particular password, etc. If you never need some of the fields, just leave them empty. When you're done, click [OK].
You'll see your entry in the password list on the proper now.
How To Run 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 Run Keepass
Using entries
You got the new entry in the password list now. What can you actually 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 are able to post it into any other program of your choice. Exactly the same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you can 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 do 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 Run 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 initially, you now need certainly to specify a location where you need the database file to be stored.
How To Run Keepass
More
That's it! You've made the very first steps in using KeePass! You can now have a consider the more complex 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 using a file (which you are able to 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 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 entry 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? That's just what the Auto-Typing feature does: it sends simulated keypresses for you yourself 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. Nevertheless the URL field can perform more! It really supports many different 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 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 within the command line? You can even utilize 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 look at the plugins page to see if you can find other folks which have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Run Keepass
General information
When downloading KeePass, you have the option between 3 different packages:
- KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe: An installer 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 source code package contains everything required to compile KeePass. It contains 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 on which package you're using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations must also be updated once you install a new KeePass version. You can find the newest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Run Keepass
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team has 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 data directory of the current 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 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 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 is accessible by a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in the program element of the device control panel. If you also want to remove your configuration settings, you 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. 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 throughout the setup process. No questions is likely 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 path 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 undoubtedly be overwritten by the new version. If you intend to move a current KeePass installation to some other path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the brand new 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 at length?.
How To Run 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 device, without any 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.
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 application data directory of the currently logged on user. For more about that, see this page
Installation:
KeePass doesn't have to be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your favorite ZIP program and KeePass is able to be used. Copy it to an area of your choice (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 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 on your system.