What\'S The Best Password Manager?
First Steps Tutorial
A short tutorial showing you the basic usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will reveal how to truly use KeePass. It describes only the basic usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Creating a new database
The initial 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 screen 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 would be the only password you'll ever have to remember from on now. It should be long and built up 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.
Because of this tutorial, we'll just make use of a password, not a key file. Click in to the password edit field and enter a code of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited long, so feel liberated 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 key window. On the left, you start to see the entry groups. On the best, you see the actual password entries. The password entries are grouped together into the password groups you see on the left. So, depending which group on the left you selected, it'll show you the entries in this group in the proper view. KeePass has generated several default groups for you, but you're absolutely free 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 screen will pop up. In this window it's simple to edit your entry: enter some title for it, an username, an URL, the specific password, etc. If you don't need a number 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 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 brand new entry in the password list now. What can you actually do with it now? Right-click onto the entry.
You have 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. Exactly 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 page: 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 start 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 computer; 3rd toolbar button). As you're saving the database the very first time, at this point you 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 first steps in using KeePass! You can now 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 employing a password. But KeePass also supports key files, i.e. you can lock your database using a file (which you are able to take with you on 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 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 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 that you could enter simple URLs into this field and KeePass will open the browser window for you. Nevertheless the URL field may do more! It really supports many different protocols (not just
http) and supports executing Windows command lines through the cmd:// virtual protocol. The field also features a powerful substitution engine, replacing codes by other fields (username, password, ...) of the entry.Command Line Capabilities: You are able to open .kdb files by passing the filename to the KeePass executable file. But did you understand that you may also send the password for the database and key file location within the command line? You may also use the command line to pre-select a key 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 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 decision between 3 different packages:
- KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe: A tech 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 required 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 where package you are using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations also needs to be updated once you put in 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 offers 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 present user. 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 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 will not be lost.Uninstallation:
To be able to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, which will be accessible by way of a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this system area of the device control panel. If in addition, you want to get rid of your configuration settings, you'll 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 system 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 silent installation and shows a status dialog throughout 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 during the setup process.Destination Path:
The installer allows to choose the destination path to which KeePass is installed. However, when the installer detects an existing KeePass installation, it assumes that an individual wants to execute an upgrade and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version will soon be overwritten by the brand new version. If you wish to move a current KeePass installation to some other path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the new version will 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 could 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.
Make sure that KeePass has write use of its application directory. Otherwise, if it doesn't have, it'll try 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 doesn't need to 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 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 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 on your own system.