What\'S The Best Password Manager?
First Steps Tutorial
A quick tutorial showing you the fundamental usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will highlight how to truly use KeePass. It describes only the basic usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Making a new database
The very first step is developing a new password database. KeePass will store all your passwords in such a database. To create one, click 'File - New...' however menu or click the leftmost toolbar button. A window will be, which prompts you for a master password and/or key file. The database will soon be encrypted with the password you enter here. The password you enter here could be the only password you'll ever have to consider from on now. It should be long and built up 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.
Because of this tutorial, we'll just work with a password, not just a key file. Click into the password edit field and enter a password of your choice. The password edit control isn't limited in length, 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 main 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 explain to you the entries in this group in the best view. KeePass has established a couple of default groups for you, but you're absolutely free to delete them and create your personal ones.
Adding an access
Time for you to store your initial password in the KeePass database! Right-click into the proper 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 because of it, an username, an URL, the specific password, etc. If you don't need a few of the fields, just leave them empty. When you're done, click [OK].
You'll see your 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 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 are able to like 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. The same works for copying passwords.
Alternatively, you are able to 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 start 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 initially, at this point you need certainly 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 very first steps in using KeePass! It's simple to have a look at the more advanced options that come with 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 utilizing a file (which you can tote around 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 employing TANs for better security. KeePass supports TAN entries, by making them expire automatically when utilizing 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? That's exactly 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 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 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 may also send the password for the database and key file location within the command line? You can also utilize the command line to pre-select a vital declare you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass features a powerful plugin architecture. If you miss some functionality, have a look at 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've the decision between 3 different packages:
- KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe: A company 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 foundation code package contains all you need to compile KeePass. It contains 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 are able to 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 when you put in 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 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 form data directory of the current user. In this manner 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 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 won't be lost.Uninstallation:
To be able to uninstall KeePass, run the uninstallation program, which will be accessible by a shortcut in the start menu folder of KeePass, or in this system portion of the device control panel. If in addition, you want to remove your configuration settings, you will need to delete the configuration file in the application form 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. 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 silent installation and shows a status dialog through the setup process. No questions is going to 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 find the destination way to which KeePass is installed. However, once the installer detects a preexisting KeePass installation, it assumes that the consumer wants to perform an update and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version will soon be overwritten by the brand new version. If you want to move a current KeePass installation to some other path, first uninstall the old version; the installer of the newest 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 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 device, without the 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 one's 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 application data directory of the currently logged on user. For more about this, see these pages
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 location of your choice (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 all 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 can leave no trace of KeePass in your system.