Store your passwords securely with KeePass Password Safe - Security - Tutorials

Most people use the same password on all websites where they belong. This allow you easily remember them but if a website is hacked or it is not reliable. A hacker can access all your accounts using the same password. In addition, these passwords are often simple or are in the dictionary, allowing the hacker to guess your password easily.
Using a secure passwords manager as KeePass lets you use strong passwords (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, special characters and longer than 8 characters).

In summary, KeePass will store all your passwords in an encrypted file and this file can be decrypted only by using the correct password and the correct key file, if any.

In this tutorial, we will explain how to :

use the program without any plugin
access your passwords from your web browser (requires extensions and Keepass plugins)
improve the security of your passwords database
configure it to use a simpler

1. Downloading and installing

To begin, download the 2.xx version of KeePass (the latest version).

Important : KeePass is free and open-source and it proves that the software is safe because :

viruses can not be there (otherwise, professionals would have already detected)
no bypass means exists in the code
the data will be encrypted using a secure algorithm because it proves that this algorithm is not reversible despite that it can be read

For installation, leave "Installation complete" option selected.
Note : As you can see, version 2 natively supports KeePass version 1 of this program.

Launch the program, KeePass will ask if you want to enable automatic updates of the program. Click "Enable" to receive the latest security program updates.

2. Creating a passwords database

To create a new secure passwords database, click the icon in the top right (circled in blue in the picture) or go to the menu : File -> New.

Enter a name for your database.

Then, specify a strong password (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, special characters and a minimum length of 8 characters) to encrypt the database.
Note : This password should be difficult to guess. Avoid words found in the dictionary and the words are too simple password like : 1234, qwerty, ...

The person who finds this password can decrypt the file and access all your passwords. So you need to choose one that is not easy to guess or too short.

Note : You can view the password specified by clicking the button on the right.

To improve the security of your database passwords, you can add a key file.
This is optional but it allows you to be absolutely certain that the attacker can not decrypt your database. In fact, if you use a long password + key file, the attacker should find 2 secure passwords to use simultaneously. This is probably impossible with current computers.

When you want to use your database, you must specify the password + key file you have generated.

To generate this key file, select the "Key file / provider" box and click the "Create" button.

Enter a name for the key file and save it to another location. The hacker doesn't know that a key file is required in addition to the password to decrypt your database.

Then, move the mouse very random on the left square and / or enter random characters in the right box.
This system will generate a 256 bits random key which serve as additional password for this database.
Note : Move your mouse over the left square until the gauge is completely filled and then click "OK".

After clicking OK on the previous window, the program will proceed to step 2. At this stage, nothing is mandatory.
If you wish you can use or not the recycle bin (which is also encrypted in your database).

Your passwords database is now configured.
To save it, click the blue floppy disk at the top left or go to File -> Save.

3. Changing the program language

To change the language of the program, go to the "View" menu and click "Change Language".

By default, the program contains only the minimum. You should therefore download the language on the program website.
To do this, click the "Get more languages" button.

On the official website of KeePass, you can download your language for "Classic Version 1 or" version and the "Professional or Version 2".

The downloaded file is a zip file (this is also the case for plugins to download) so you need to unpack it with 7-Zip (Free) or equivalent.
Note : In Windows 7, you can right click the file and click "Extract All".

Then, copy the "[language name].lngx" file in the KeePass folder. Default : C:\Program Files (x86)\KeePass Password Safe 2

2018 update : now, the ".lngx" language files must be stored in this folder : C:\Program Files (x86)\KeePass Password Safe 2\Languages

Then, close the "Select Language" window and re-open it. The new language is now displayed.
Click to use it.

Click "Yes" to restart "KeePass".

At the next start of the program, KeePass will ask for your password and / or your key file if necessary.

KeePass is now in the selected language.