
How To Sync Keepass Between Devices
First Steps Tutorial
A quick tutorial showing you the basic usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will reveal how to truly use KeePass. It describes only the fundamental usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Making a new database
The initial step is creating a new password database. KeePass will store your entire passwords in this database. To create one, click 'File - New...' however menu or click the leftmost toolbar button. A screen can look, 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 will be the only password you'll ever have to keep in mind from on now. It should be long and accumulated of mixed characters. Remember that after 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 code of one's choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel liberated to even enter a whole sentence (just keep in mind that you may 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].
So you see the main window. On the left, you begin to see the entry groups. On the best, you see the specific 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 absolutely free to delete them and create your own personal ones.
Adding an access
Time and energy to store your 1st 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 now you can edit your entry: enter some title because of it, an username, an URL, the particular password, etc. If that you do not 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 Sync Keepass Between Devices
| 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 Sync Keepass Between Devices
Using entries
You got the brand new entry in the password list now. Exactly what do you do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You've several options now. You can for instance copy the username of the entry to the Windows clipboard. When you've copied it, you can post it into every other program of your choice. The exact 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 this page: 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 Sync Keepass Between Devices
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, you now need to specify a spot where you want the database file to be stored.
How To Sync Keepass Between Devices
More
That's it! You've made the initial steps in using KeePass! You can now have a consider the more complex 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 are able to lock your database using 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 employing TANs for better security. KeePass supports TAN entries, by making them expire automatically when utilizing them.
Auto-Type: The auto-typing functionality is 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 personally 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 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 actually supports many different protocols (not just
http) and supports executing Windows command lines through the cmd:// virtual protocol. The field also comes with 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 also send the password for the database and key file location over the command line? You can also utilize the command line to pre-select a key file for you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass includes a powerful plugin architecture. In the event that you miss some functionality, have a look at the plugins page to see if you can find other folks that have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Sync Keepass Between Devices
General information
When downloading KeePass, you have the decision between 3 different packages:
- KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe: A company 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 source code package contains everything required to compile KeePass. It offers the C#/C++ source code and header files, resource files, sources for building the installer, etc.
Updating KeePass:
Each time a new KeePass version has been released, you can 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 put in a new KeePass version. You can find the latest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Sync Keepass Between Devices
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 data directory of the present 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 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 certainly to uninstall the old version first. Your configuration options won't 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 get rid of 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. the program 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 silent installation and shows a status dialog during the setup process. No questions will soon be asked though.The
/VERYSILENT command line switch performs a quiet installation and does not show a status dialog during the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to choose the destination way to which KeePass is installed. However, once the installer detects an existing KeePass installation, it assumes that an individual wants to do an update and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version is going to be overwritten by the newest version. If you intend 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 detail?.
How To Sync Keepass Between Devices
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 your user profile.
Be sure that KeePass has write access to its application directory. Otherwise, if 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 doesn't have to be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your favorite ZIP program and KeePass is ready to be used. Copy it to an area of your decision (for example onto your USB stick); no additional configuration or installation is needed.
Updating:
Download the latest 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 in your system.
Download Now
Download Now