How To Use Keepass On Windows
First Steps Tutorial
A quick tutorial showing you the essential usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will reveal how to actually use KeePass. It describes only the basic usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Making a new database
The initial step is developing a new password database. KeePass will store your entire passwords in such a database. To produce 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 keep in mind from on now. It must be long and accumulated of mixed characters. Bear in mind 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 work with a password, not a key file. Click into the password edit field and enter a password of one's choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel free to even enter an entire sentence (just bear in mind 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].
Now you see the main window. On the left, you see the entry groups. On the right, you see the specific password entries. The password entries are grouped together to the password groups you see on the left. So, depending where group on the left you selected, it'll show you the entries in this group in the best view. KeePass has generated a few default groups for you personally, but you're totally 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 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 because of it, an username, an URL, the actual 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 new entry in the password list on the best now.
How To Use Keepass On Windows
| 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 On Windows
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 are able to for instance copy the username of the entry to the Windows clipboard. When you've copied it, you can post it into some other program of one's choice. The exact same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you can drag&drop fields into other windows. To see a typical example of how this works, see these pages: 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 On Windows
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 an area where you want the database file to be stored.
How To Use Keepass On Windows
More
That's it! You've made the initial steps in using KeePass! You can now have a look at the more complex 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 can lock your database utilizing a file (which you can take with you 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 working with 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 personally? That's just what the Auto-Typing feature does: it sends simulated keypresses for you 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 numerous 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 realize that you can also send the password for the database and key file location within the command line? You can also utilize the command line to pre-select a key declare you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass includes a powerful plugin architecture. In the event that you miss some functionality, have a go through the plugins page to see if there are other people that have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
How To Use Keepass On Windows
General information
When downloading KeePass, you have the decision 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 origin code.
The installer and the portable version are described in 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:
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're using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations should also be updated whenever you install a new KeePass version. You can find the most recent translation files here: KeePass Translations.
How To Use Keepass On Windows
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 existing user. 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'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:
To be able to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, which will be accessible by way of a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this program element of the machine control panel. If in addition, you want to eliminate your configuration settings, you will need to delete the configuration file in the application form 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. 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 quiet installation and shows a status dialog during 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 during the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to choose the destination path to which KeePass is installed. However, once the installer detects an existing KeePass installation, it assumes that the user 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 preexisting KeePass installation to another path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the new version will likely 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?.
How To Use Keepass On Windows
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 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 usage of its application directory. Otherwise, if it doesn't have, it'll try 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 doesn't must be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your favorite 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 latest portable package of KeePass, unpack it and copy all new files within 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 can leave no trace of KeePass on your system.