What\'S The Best Password Manager?
First Steps Tutorial
A short tutorial showing you the essential usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will highlight how to truly use KeePass. It describes only the fundamental usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Making 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 main 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 accumulated of mixed characters. Remember 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 really 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 a complete sentence (just remember 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].
Now you see the main window. On the left, you 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 where group on the left you selected, it'll explain to you the entries in this group in the proper view. KeePass has generated several default groups for you personally, but you're totally free to delete them and create your own ones.
Adding an access
Time 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 you never need some 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 right 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 newest entry in the password list now. 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 any other program of one's choice. Exactly the same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you are able to drag&drop fields into other windows. To see an 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 for you to save our database. Click onto the 'Save' toolbar button (looks like a drive; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database initially, you now have to specify an area where you would like 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! Now you can have a go through the more advanced 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 are able to lock your database employing a file (which you are able to take with you 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 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 might 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 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 do more! It really 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 know that you may also send the password for the database and key file location over the command line? You can even utilize the command line to pre-select a vital declare you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass includes a powerful plugin architecture. In the event that you miss some functionality, have a consider the plugins page to see if you can 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 have the choice 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 in detail below.
The origin code package contains all 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 can update your existing KeePass installation, without losing any configuration settings. The steps are depending which package you are using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations also needs to be updated once you use a new KeePass version. You will find the most recent 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 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 current 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'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 have to uninstall the old version first. Your configuration options won't be lost.Uninstallation:
In order to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, which is accessible by a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this program part of the system control panel. If you also want to remove your configuration settings, you need to delete the configuration file in the application data directory of your 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 during 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 throughout the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to find 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 upgrade and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version will be overwritten by the brand new version. If you wish to move a preexisting KeePass installation to a different 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 could be carried around on portable devices (like USB sticks) and runs on any computer directly from the device, without any 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 one's user profile.
Ensure that KeePass has write use of its application directory. Otherwise, when it doesn't have, it'll try to store the configuration options (nothing security-relevant though) into the application form data directory of the currently logged on user. For more about that, see these pages
Installation:
KeePass doesn't must be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your preferred ZIP program and KeePass is able 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 most recent 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 may leave no trace of KeePass on your system.