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First Steps Tutorial
A quick tutorial showing you the fundamental 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.
Developing a new database
The very first step is creating 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 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 must be long and developed of mixed characters. Bear in mind that when 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 use a password, not a key file. Click into the password edit field and enter a code of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel free to even enter an entire sentence (just remember that you may 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 start to see the entry groups. On the best, you see the particular 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 explain to you the entries in this group in the right view. KeePass has created a few default groups for you personally, but you're no cost to delete them and create your personal ones.
Adding an entry
Time for you to store your initial 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 you can now edit your entry: enter some title because of it, an username, an URL, the actual password, etc. If that you do not need a number 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.
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| 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. | |
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Using entries
You got the newest entry in the password list now. Exactly what do you actually do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You've 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 some other program of your choice. The 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 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 drive; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database the very first time, you now have to specify an area where you want the database file to be stored.
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More
That's it! You've made the first steps in using KeePass! Now you can have a consider the more advanced features of KeePass.
Passwords and Key Files: In the tutorial above we've encrypted the database using a password. But KeePass also supports key files, i.e. you are able to lock your database using 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 using 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 personally into other windows? Wouldn't it be nice if you could 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 as you are able to enter simple URLs into this field and KeePass will open the browser window for you. However 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 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 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 key apply 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 can find other people 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 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 foundation code.
The installer and the portable version are described at length below.
The source code package contains everything you need to compile KeePass. It offers 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 where package you are using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations also needs to be updated whenever you use a new KeePass version. You can 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 offers 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 present user. In this manner 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 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 can be accessible by a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this program area 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 application data directory of one's account
Silent Installation:
The KeePass installer
KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe supports command line switches for silent installation, i.e. this 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 throughout 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 throughout the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to choose the destination road to which KeePass is installed. However, once the installer detects a current KeePass installation, it assumes that the user wants to perform an upgrade and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version is likely to be overwritten by the newest version. If you intend to move a preexisting KeePass installation to another path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the newest version will then display the destination path selection page again.
Options/Components:
The installation options/components are explained in more detail 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 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 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.
Ensure that KeePass has write access to 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 these pages
Installation:
KeePass does not need 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 choice (for example on 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 may leave no trace of KeePass in your system.