What Is A Lastpass Account?
First Steps Tutorial
A brief tutorial showing you the essential usage of KeePass.
This short tutorial will highlight how to actually use KeePass. It describes only the fundamental usage, advanced features are covered on separate pages.
Creating a new database
The 1st step is creating a new password database. KeePass will store all your passwords in such a database. To generate 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 will 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 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 work with a password, not a key file. Click to 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 may 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 key window. On the left, you see the entry groups. On the proper, you see the particular 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 show you the entries in this group in the right view. KeePass has generated a couple of 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 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 for this, an username, an URL, the actual 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 right now.
What Is A Lastpass Account?
| 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 Is A Lastpass Account?
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 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. The exact 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 achieve this, just click 'URL(s) - Open URL(s)' in the context menu. KeePass will begin the default browser and open the specified URL.
What Is A Lastpass Account?
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 need to specify a spot where you want the database file to be stored.
What Is A Lastpass Account?
More
That's it! You've made the very first steps in using KeePass! You can now have a consider 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 using a file (which you can carry around 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 using TANs for better security. KeePass supports TAN entries, by making them expire automatically when utilizing them.
Auto-Type: The auto-typing functionality is 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 may define whole sequences of keypresses that KeePass should type for you personally? That's precisely 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 can enter simple URLs into this field and KeePass will open the browser window for you. Nevertheless the URL field may 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 are able to open .kdb files by passing the filename to the KeePass executable file. But did you understand that you can even 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 vital file for you.
Plugins (1.x, 2.x): KeePass includes a powerful plugin architecture. If you miss some functionality, have a look at the plugins page to see if there are others that have already written plugins for this. Many plugins exist to import/export data from/to other file formats.
What Is A Lastpass Account?
General information
When downloading KeePass, you've the choice 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 source code.
The installer and the portable version are described in more detail below.
The foundation code package contains all 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 which package you are using (installer or portable), see below.
Translations should also be updated when you install a new KeePass version. You will find the most recent translation files here: KeePass Translations.
What Is A Lastpass Account?
Installer program (KeePass-2.xx-Setup.exe file)
The KeePass development team has 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 applying data directory of the existing 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 is installed.
Installation:
To put in 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 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 section of the device control panel. If in addition, you want to remove your configuration settings, you need to delete the configuration file in the applying 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 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 during the setup process. No questions will undoubtedly 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 find the destination road to which KeePass is installed. However, when the installer detects a preexisting KeePass installation, it assumes that the consumer wants to execute an upgrade and thus doesn't display the destination path selection page; the old version will soon be overwritten by the new version. If you wish to move a current KeePass installation to a different 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 Is A Lastpass Account?
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 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.
Be sure that KeePass has write access to its application directory. Otherwise, when 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 these pages
Installation:
KeePass does not have to be installed. Just download the ZIP package, unpack it with your chosen 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 all new files over the old ones. Your configuration settings won't 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.