What\'S The Best Password Manager?
First Steps Tutorial
A brief tutorial showing you the fundamental usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will reveal how to actually use KeePass. It describes only the essential usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Developing a new database
The very first step is making a new password database. KeePass will store your entire passwords in such a 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 must be long and developed of mixed characters. Bear in mind that whenever 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 really a key file. Click into the password edit field and enter a password of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited in total, so feel absolve to even enter an entire sentence (just remember that you will need to keep in mind 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 start to see the entry groups. On the best, you see the specific password entries. The password entries are grouped together to the password groups you see on the left. So, depending on which group on the left you selected, it'll demonstrate 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 own personal ones.
Adding an access
Time and energy 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 it, an username, an URL, the particular password, etc. If that you do not need a few 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 new entry in the password list now. So what can you actually 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 any program of one's choice. Exactly 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 this site: 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 become 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 computer; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database the very first time, you now have to specify a location where you want the database file to be stored.
What\'S The Best Password Manager?
More
That's it! You've made the first 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 can lock your database employing 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 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 precisely 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. But 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 realize that you can also send the password for the database and key file location over the command line? You may also utilize the command line to pre-select a key declare you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass features a powerful plugin architecture. In the event that you miss some functionality, have a consider the plugins page to see if there are 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 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 source code.
The installer and the portable version are described in more detail below.
The foundation code package contains everything required to compile KeePass. It offers 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 on which package you're using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations must also be updated once you use a new KeePass version. You'll 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 provides 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 data directory of the existing user. In this way 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's 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 won't be lost.Uninstallation:
In order to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, that will be accessible with a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this system part of the machine control panel. If additionally you want to get rid of 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. this system 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 quiet installation and does not show a status dialog through the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to choose the destination way to which KeePass is installed. However, when the installer detects a current KeePass installation, it assumes that an individual wants to do an upgrade and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version is going to be overwritten by the new version. If you want to move a preexisting KeePass installation to a different 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 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 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.
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 this page
Installation:
KeePass does not have to be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your preferred ZIP program and KeePass is ready to be used. Copy it to a location of your option (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 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 will leave no trace of KeePass in your system.