How To Use Keepass Extension
First Steps Tutorial
A brief tutorial showing you the essential usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will reveal how to truly use KeePass. It describes only the basic usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Creating a new database
The 1st step is making a new password database. KeePass will store all your passwords in such a 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 will 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. Keep in mind that after someone gets your database file and guesses the password, he could access all passwords you stored in the database.
Because of this tutorial, we'll just work with a password, not just a key file. Click in to the password edit field and enter a password of one's choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel absolve to even enter a whole sentence (just remember 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 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 in to 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 established a few default groups for you, but you're totally free to delete them and create your own ones.
Adding an access
Time and energy 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 now you can edit your entry: enter some title for this, an username, an URL, the specific password, etc. If you do not need a few of the fields, just leave them empty. When you're done, click [OK].
You'll see your entry in the password list on the best now.
How To Use Keepass Extension
| 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 Use Keepass Extension
Using entries
You got the new entry in the password list now. So what can you do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You have several options now. You can for instance 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 a good example of how this works, see this site: 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 start the default browser and open the specified URL.
How To Use Keepass Extension
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 the very first time, you now have to specify an area where you need the database file to be stored.
How To Use Keepass Extension
More
That's it! You've made the initial steps in using KeePass! You can now have a go through the more complex top features of 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 are able to lock your database utilizing a file (which you can tote around in 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 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 might define whole sequences of keypresses that KeePass should type for you personally? That's exactly 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 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 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 understand that you may also send the password for the database and key file location within the command line? You can also use the command line to pre-select a key file 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 you will find others that have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Use Keepass Extension
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 origin code.
The installer and the portable version are described in detail 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 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 must also be updated when you put in a new KeePass version. You'll find the newest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Use Keepass Extension
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team provides 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 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 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:
To be able to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, which is accessible by a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this system area of the system control panel. If in addition you want to eliminate your configuration settings, you'll need to delete the configuration file in the application form data directory of your user profile
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 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 be asked though.The
/VERYSILENT command line switch performs a silent installation and does not show a status dialog through the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to find the destination path to which KeePass is installed. However, when the installer detects a current 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 brand new version. If you wish to move a preexisting KeePass installation to some other path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the 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 more detail?.
How To Use Keepass Extension
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 unit, 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.
Ensure 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 data directory of the currently logged on user. For more about this, see this site
Installation:
KeePass doesn't must be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your chosen ZIP program and KeePass is preparing 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 most recent portable package of KeePass, unpack it and copy new files on 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 own system.