What\'S The Best Password Manager?
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 essential usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Creating a new database
The 1st step is making a new password database. KeePass will store your entire passwords in this database. To generate 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 could be the only password you'll ever have to keep in mind from on now. It ought to be long and built up of mixed characters. Keep in mind that whenever 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 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 in total, so feel free to even enter a whole sentence (just keep in mind that you'll 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].
So you see the key window. On the left, you begin to see the entry groups. On the best, you see the actual 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 best view. KeePass has established several default groups for you personally, but you're absolutely free to delete them and create your personal ones.
Adding an entry
Time and energy to store your initial 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 because of it, an username, an URL, the specific password, etc. If you do not need some 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 best now.
What\'S The Best Password Manager?
| 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. | |
What\'S The Best Password Manager?
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 as an 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 one's choice. 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 begin the default browser and open the specified URL.
What\'S The Best Password Manager?
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 need the database file to be stored.
What\'S The Best Password Manager?
More
That's it! You've made the very first steps in using KeePass! It's simple to have a go through the more complex options that come with 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 utilizing a file (which you are able to tote around 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 employing 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 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 really 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 do more! It really supports numerous 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, ...) with 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 on the command line? You can even utilize the command line to pre-select a vital 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 which have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
What\'S The Best Password Manager?
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 foundation code.
The installer and the portable version are described at length below.
The origin code package contains all you need to compile KeePass. It provides 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 should also be updated when you install a new KeePass version. You will find the newest translation files here: KeePass Translations.
What\'S The Best Password Manager?
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team has an installer, which copies KeePass to your hard disk 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 form data directory of the present user. In this manner 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 set up 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 have to uninstall the old version first. Your configuration options will not be lost.Uninstallation:
To be able to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, that will be accessible by way of a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this program section of the machine control panel. If you also want to eliminate your configuration settings, you'll need to delete the configuration file in the application data directory of one's 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 user 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 soon 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, when the installer detects an existing KeePass installation, it assumes that the consumer 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 want to move a current KeePass installation to another 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 more detail here: What do the 2.x installation options/components mean at length?.
What\'S The Best Password Manager?
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 the 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.
Make sure 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 this, see this site
Installation:
KeePass does not must 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 newest portable package of KeePass, unpack it and copy brand new files on 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 may leave no trace of KeePass on your system.