What\'S The Best Password Manager?
First Steps Tutorial
A quick tutorial showing you the fundamental usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial can tell you how to really 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 such a database. To produce one, click 'File - New...' in the main menu or click the leftmost toolbar button. A window will appear, which prompts you for a master password and/or key file. The database is going to be encrypted with the password you enter here. The password you enter here will be the only password you'll ever have to remember from on now. It should be long and built up of mixed characters. Keep in mind that when 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 make use of 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 free to even enter a complete sentence (just bear in mind 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 right, you see the specific password entries. The password entries are grouped together into the password groups you see on the left. So, depending on which group on the left you selected, it'll show you the entries in this group in the right view. KeePass has established a few default groups for you personally, but you're absolutely free to delete them and create your own ones.
Adding an access
Time for you to store your initial password in the KeePass database! Right-click into the right password entry view and choose 'Add Entry...' .A window will pop up. In this window it's simple to edit your entry: enter some title for this, an username, an URL, the specific password, etc. If that 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 proper 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. What can 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 any 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 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 disk; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database the very first time, you now need certainly to specify a spot 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 consider the heightened 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 can lock your database using a file (which you are able to carry 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 using TANs for better security. KeePass supports TAN entries, by making them expire automatically when using 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 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 could define whole sequences of keypresses that KeePass should type for you? That's exactly 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 could enter simple URLs into this field and KeePass will open the browser window for you. But the URL field can do 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 are able to 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 even use the command line to pre-select a vital declare you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass comes with a powerful plugin architecture. In the event that you miss some functionality, have a go through the plugins page to see if you will find others 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've the decision 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 source code.
The installer and the portable version are described at length below.
The origin code package contains everything 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:
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 are using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations should also be updated once you use a new KeePass version. You'll find the latest 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 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 existing 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 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 need certainly to uninstall the old version first. Your configuration options will not be lost.Uninstallation:
In order to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, that is accessible by way of a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in the program portion of the device control panel. If in addition, you want to get rid of your configuration settings, you need to delete the configuration file in the application form 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 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 during the setup process. No questions is likely to be asked though.The
/VERYSILENT command line switch performs a quiet installation and does not show a status dialog throughout the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to find the destination road to which KeePass is installed. However, once the installer detects a preexisting KeePass installation, it assumes that the user wants to perform an update and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version will be overwritten by the 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 in more detail here: What do the 2.x installation options/components mean in more detail?.
What\'S The Best Password Manager?
Portable version (KeePass-2.xx.zip file)
The portable version may be carried around on portable devices (like USB sticks) and runs on any computer directly from the unit, without any 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, if it doesn't have, it'll attempt 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 these pages
Installation:
KeePass does not 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 a spot of your decision (for example onto 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 over 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 in your system.