Step 1.

Point your browser to http://keepass.info/download.html and download the latest version of KeePass. You can either download it to your computer or as a ZIP file and put it on a USB storage device. The KeePass Classic Edition only supports Windows operating systems, while the Professional Edition supports Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.

For the Installed version:

Once you begin downloading KeePass, an installation wizard will guide you through the installation process.
If you want to run KeePass on a non-Windows operating system, you will need to install Mono. See the Mono website for downloads and follow KeePass’s instructions.

For the Portable version:

You will be downloading KeePass to a portable device like a USB stick, so you won’t need to install the program. Just download the ZIP package, unzip it, and KeePass is ready to be used.

Step 2.

Launch the software. The first thing you will need to do is create a new database. This is where all of your passwords will be stored. Click “File” from the main menu, then select “New.” A dialog window will appear that asks you to enter a master password and/or key file. This should be a VERY STRONG password with a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

Click on the password edit field and type in your new master password. Click “OK.” You will then be prompted to enter the master password again. Then click “OK.” You will see a new dialog box that allows you to configure some database properties. For now, just click “OK.” You will then be directed to the main menu.

Step 3.

You have created your password database, and now you will need to save it. Select “File,” then “Save As” from the main menu. Type in a file name for your database, select where on your computer you want to save it, and then click “OK.”

Step 4.

Now it’s time to add all of your passwords to the database. To add a password, select “Edit,” then “Add Entry” from the main menu. The Add Entry Screen will appear. 

Tip!

It may be helpful to go through the various password-protected sites you use beforehand and write down your password for each one. This will make adding them all to the database much easier.

There are a lot of different fields to enter information into. None is mandatory, but it may be helpful to you in the future.

Group: KeePass lets you organize your passwords into different groups, such as “Internet” or “News Websites.”
Title: Describe the password, such as “Facebook password.”
User name: Your user name for that particular site associated with the password.
URL: The website associated with the password. For example, http://www.facebook.com.
Password: KeePass automatically generates a password for you. Click on the icon with three blue dots to activate the password generator. Or you can add your own password.
Repeat: The password confirmed.
Quality: The quality bar indicates the strength of your password. Red means weak, green means strong.
Notes: Add any notes to yourself about the site or your account.
Expires: You have the option of setting an expiration date for the password. If you check the box, you set the expiration date. For example, if you set it for three months, KeePass will prompt you to enter a new password on this date.

Step 5.

Need to edit a password entry you already made? Select the correct password group from the left side panel, then select the entry you want to edit. From the main menu, select “Edit,” then “Edit/View Entry.” Make any changes, including changing that password, then click “OK.” Make sure to save your password database each time you update your entries by selecting “File” then “Save.”

Tip!

It is a good idea to change your password every so often—once every three months is recommended.

Step 6.

Need to change your master password? Select “File” then “Change Master Key.” You will then be prompted to enter a new master key.

Step 7.

Ready to use a password? You may not be able to easily remember some of the passwords you have stored in KeePass. Select the password entry associated with the account you need it for. Right click on the entry, then select “Copy Password to Clipboard.” Then go to the related account where you need your password. Paste the password into the password field.

Step 8.

You should minimize or shut down KeePass each time, but remember you will have to re-enter your master password when you bring the program up again.

Tip!

Instead of using a master password, you can set a key file to protect your database. A key file is simply a master password in a file, instead of in your head. Any file can be selected by you to authenticate the database, like an image file or a document. Make sure to back up your key file to avoid losing it—and then not being able to access your password database! The easiest way to back up your key file is to copy it to a disc or USB stick.

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