Most password managers ask you to trust a company with your most sensitive data. You create an account, upload your passwords to their servers, and hope that their encryption is as strong as they claim, that their employees cannot access your vault, and that the company will still exist five years from now. If any of those assumptions fail, your passwords are at risk – or simply gone.
KeePass takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of locking your passwords inside a proprietary service, KeePass stores them in an open, documented, encrypted file that you control completely. There is no account to create, no server to trust, and no subscription to maintain. Your password database is a file on your device, encrypted with military-grade cryptography, and compatible with dozens of applications across every major platform.
This guide explains everything you need to know about the KeePass ecosystem: the KDBX format that underpins it, the encryption that protects it, the open-source philosophy that makes it trustworthy, and the practical steps for using it to secure your digital life. Each section links to detailed articles that explore specific topics in depth.
What Is KeePass
KeePass began in 2003 as an open-source password manager for Windows, created by Dominik Reichl. Over two decades later, it has evolved into something more significant than a single application. KeePass defines an open standard for password storage – the KDBX format – that has become the foundation for an entire ecosystem of compatible tools.
When people refer to “KeePass” today, they might mean the original KeePass application, the KDBX file format, or the broader ecosystem of compatible apps that read and write KDBX files. This distinction matters because the format is not tied to any single application. You can create a KeePass database in one app, open it in another, and switch tools at any time without converting, exporting, or losing data.
This openness is what sets KeePass apart from every proprietary password manager on the market. Your passwords are not trapped inside a vendor’s ecosystem. They live in a file you own, protected by encryption you can verify, in a format that any developer can implement. For a thorough comparison of what this means in practice versus closed-source alternatives, see our article on KeePass vs. proprietary password managers.
The KDBX Format Explained
The KDBX format is the container that holds your encrypted password database. Understanding it helps you appreciate why KeePass databases are both secure and portable.
A KDBX file is a single, self-contained binary file. It contains all of your entries – usernames, passwords, URLs, notes, attachments, and custom fields – organized into groups and subgroups. The entire contents are encrypted, meaning that without the correct master key, the file is indistinguishable from random data.
The format has gone through several versions. KDBX 4, the current version, introduced support for modern encryption algorithms and key derivation functions. It uses a header that specifies which algorithms are in use, followed by the encrypted payload. This header-based design means applications can identify the encryption parameters before attempting decryption, enabling forward compatibility as new algorithms are added.
One of the most significant properties of the KDBX format is its completeness. The file contains everything needed to decrypt and use the database, aside from the master key itself. There is no dependency on an external service, server, or account. If you have the file and the master key, you have your passwords. This self-contained nature is what makes KeePass databases so resilient and portable.
For a technical deep dive into the format’s structure, versioning history, and internal organization, read our KDBX format guide.
Encryption: How KeePass Protects Your Data
The security of a KeePass database rests on two pillars: the encryption algorithm that scrambles the data and the key derivation function that transforms your master password into an encryption key.
AES-256: The Default Standard
By default, KeePass databases use AES-256 (Advanced Encryption Standard with a 256-bit key). AES is a symmetric encryption algorithm adopted by the U.S. government in 2001 after a rigorous five-year public evaluation process. It has withstood over two decades of cryptanalysis by the world’s leading researchers without any practical attack being found.
AES-256 is used by banks, governments, military organizations, and intelligence agencies worldwide. When your KeePass database is encrypted with AES-256, the only feasible way to access the contents is with the correct master key. There is no backdoor, no shortcut, and no known mathematical weakness to exploit.
ChaCha20: The Modern Alternative
KDBX 4 added support for ChaCha20, a stream cipher designed by Daniel J. Bernstein. ChaCha20 offers security properties comparable to AES-256 but uses a fundamentally different mathematical approach. This diversity is valuable because it means a theoretical breakthrough against one algorithm would not affect the other.
ChaCha20 also performs well on devices without hardware AES acceleration, making it a practical choice for older mobile devices and embedded systems. Some security professionals prefer it for its simpler design, which reduces the surface area for implementation errors.
Key Derivation: Argon2 and Beyond
The encryption algorithm protects your data, but the key derivation function protects your master password. When you type your master password, it must be transformed into a 256-bit encryption key. A key derivation function performs this transformation in a way that is deliberately slow and resource-intensive, making brute-force attacks against your master password prohibitively expensive.
KDBX 4 supports Argon2, the winner of the Password Hashing Competition in 2015. Argon2 is specifically designed to resist attacks using specialized hardware like GPUs and ASICs by requiring large amounts of memory during computation. You can configure the number of iterations, memory usage, and parallelism to match your device’s capabilities and your desired security level.
The practical effect is that even if an attacker obtains your encrypted KDBX file, testing each candidate master password takes a significant amount of time and memory. A strong master passphrase combined with aggressive Argon2 settings makes brute-force attacks effectively impossible.
For a complete explanation of how these algorithms work together to protect your database, see our guide on KeePass database encryption. Our broader article on KeePass encryption explained covers the topic from a less technical angle, focusing on what these protections mean for everyday users.
The Open-Source Advantage
KeePass is open-source software, and the KDBX format is an open standard. These are not marketing terms. They have specific, practical implications for your security.
Verifiable Security
When a proprietary password manager claims to use AES-256 encryption with zero-knowledge architecture, you are taking their word for it. You cannot inspect the code to verify the claim. You cannot confirm that there are no backdoors, no logging of master passwords, no vulnerabilities introduced by careless coding.
With KeePass and its compatible applications, the source code is publicly available. Security researchers, cryptographers, and developers worldwide can – and do – review it. Vulnerabilities are found and fixed in public, with full transparency about what was wrong and how it was addressed. This collective scrutiny produces software that is more secure than any single company’s internal review process could achieve.
Our article on open-source security examines why this transparency model consistently produces more trustworthy software than closed-source alternatives. For a direct comparison of the security models, see open-source versus proprietary password managers.
No Vendor Lock-In
Proprietary password managers often make it easy to import data but difficult to export it. Your passwords are stored in a format that only their application can read. If the company raises prices, discontinues the product, suffers a catastrophic breach, or simply changes direction in a way you disagree with, extracting your data can be painful or impossible.
The KDBX format eliminates this problem entirely. Because the format is open and documented, dozens of applications can read and write it. You are never dependent on a single developer, company, or application. If you are unhappy with one KeePass-compatible app, you open your database file in a different one. Your data does not change. Your workflows barely change. The vendor relationship is inverted: the application serves you, rather than you being locked into the application.
Community-Driven Development
Open-source projects benefit from contributions by developers worldwide who use the software themselves. Bug reports, feature requests, security patches, and documentation improvements come from the same community that depends on the software. This alignment of incentives produces tools that prioritize user needs over revenue goals.
The KeePass ecosystem is a prime example. The original KeePass application inspired KeePassXC (a cross-platform community fork), Strongbox (for Apple platforms), KeePassDX (for Android), and many others. Each application brings unique strengths while maintaining full compatibility through the shared KDBX format.
Data Portability: Why It Matters
Data portability is the ability to move your data freely between applications, platforms, and services. In password management, it is not a luxury – it is a fundamental security property.
Your Passwords Belong to You
When your passwords are stored in a proprietary format on a company’s servers, they control your data in a very real sense. You access it through their application, on their terms, at their price. If they experience an outage, you cannot access your passwords. If they go out of business, you face an urgent scramble to export and migrate before the servers go dark.
A KeePass database is a file on your device. You can copy it, back it up, move it to a different device, store it on a USB drive, or place it in any cloud storage service you choose. No company stands between you and your passwords. For a deeper discussion of why this matters, read our article on data portability.
Future-Proofing Your Security
Technology companies come and go. Products are launched, acquired, deprecated, and discontinued. The password manager you choose today may not exist in ten years. If your passwords are locked in a proprietary format, a product shutdown means a stressful, time-sensitive migration under adverse conditions.
The KDBX format has been stable and backward-compatible for over two decades. Because it is an open standard maintained by a community rather than a company, it does not depend on any single entity’s continued existence or interest. A KDBX file created today will be readable by applications that have not been written yet, because the format is documented and anyone can implement it.
The Compatibility Ecosystem
One of the most practical benefits of the KeePass ecosystem is the breadth of compatible applications. Regardless of your operating system, device, or workflow preferences, there is likely a KeePass-compatible app that fits.
Desktop Applications
On Windows, the original KeePass application remains actively maintained. KeePassXC, a community-driven cross-platform fork, runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with a modern interface, browser integration, and features like SSH agent support and hardware key integration.
Mobile Applications
On iOS, apps like Strongbox and KeePassium provide native experiences with Face ID and Touch ID integration, AutoFill support, and iCloud or local sync options. On Android, KeePassDX and Keepass2Android offer similar functionality with fingerprint unlock and integration with the Android autofill framework.
Browser Integration
KeePassXC includes a companion browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and other Chromium-based browsers. It communicates with the desktop application to provide autofill capabilities that work seamlessly with your browsing workflow.
For a comprehensive overview of compatible applications organized by platform, see our KeePass compatible apps guide. Our broader compatibility guide covers interoperability considerations, including how to ensure your database works across different applications.
Migrating to KeePass
If you are currently using a different password manager, migrating to the KeePass format is straightforward. Most password managers support exporting data in CSV or other interchange formats, and KeePass-compatible apps can import from these sources.
From LastPass
LastPass allows you to export your vault as a CSV file, which any KeePass-compatible application can import. The process typically takes less than ten minutes, and the result is a fully encrypted KDBX file containing all of your existing credentials. Our step-by-step guide on migrating from LastPass walks through the entire process, including how to handle shared folders, secure notes, and form fills.
From 1Password
1Password supports export in CSV and its proprietary 1PUX format. KeePass-compatible apps can import from the CSV export, preserving your usernames, passwords, URLs, and notes. Custom fields and document attachments may require additional handling depending on the target application. See our migration guide from 1Password for detailed instructions.
From Browser Password Storage
If your passwords are currently saved in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, you can export them and import into a KeePass database. This is often the first step people take when adopting a dedicated password manager, and it immediately elevates the security of credentials that were previously stored with minimal protection. Our guide on importing browser passwords covers every major browser.
After migration, you should run a security audit on your imported credentials. Many will be weak or reused, reflecting the habits that browser-based storage enables. Generate new, unique passwords for high-value accounts first, then work through the rest at your own pace.
Strengthening Your Database with Key Files
A master password is the most common way to protect a KeePass database, but it is not the only option. Key files add a second authentication factor that significantly increases security.
What a Key File Is
A key file is a file that must be present – in addition to your master password – to unlock the database. It functions as something you have (the file), complementing your master password, which is something you know. Without both, the database cannot be decrypted.
A key file can be any file, but KeePass-compatible applications can generate dedicated key files containing cryptographic random data. The contents of the key file are incorporated into the encryption key derivation process, meaning the encryption key depends on both your master password and the key file’s contents.
Practical Key File Strategies
The key file should be stored separately from your database file. If both files are in the same location, an attacker who obtains one likely has the other, negating the security benefit. Common strategies include storing the key file on a USB drive that you keep physically secure, or on a different cloud storage service than the one holding your database.
Some users store their key file on a hardware device that they carry with them, providing a physical second factor similar to a hardware security key. Others keep copies in two or three secure locations to guard against loss.
Our detailed guide on KeePass key files explains how to create, configure, and manage key files effectively, including strategies for backup and recovery.
Backing Up Your Database
Because a KeePass database is a local file under your control, backup is your responsibility. This is a feature, not a bug – it means you decide where your backups live and who has access to them. But it does require deliberate action.
Why Backups Are Non-Negotiable
If your device is lost, stolen, or damaged and your only copy of the database is on that device, your passwords are gone. No support team can recover them for you. No server holds a backup copy. The encryption that protects your data from attackers also protects it from you if the file is lost.
Backup Strategies
A sound backup strategy follows the 3-2-1 rule: three copies of your data, on two different types of media, with one copy offsite. For a KeePass database, this might look like:
- The working copy on your computer
- A synced copy in encrypted cloud storage (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox)
- A copy on an encrypted USB drive stored in a secure location
Because the database file is encrypted, storing it in cloud storage does not expose your passwords. An attacker who obtains the file still needs your master password (and key file, if configured) to access the contents. The cloud copy provides convenience and redundancy, while the USB drive protects against scenarios where cloud access is unavailable.
Some KeePass-compatible applications offer built-in backup features that automatically save versioned copies of your database. This protects against accidental deletions or corruption, allowing you to roll back to a previous state.
For comprehensive backup guidance including automation options and recovery procedures, see our KeePass database backup guide.
KeePass as the Gold Standard
The combination of open-source transparency, military-grade encryption, zero vendor lock-in, and complete data ownership has led many security professionals and privacy advocates to consider the KeePass format the gold standard for password management.
This is not to say KeePass is perfect for every user. The offline-first model requires more hands-on management than a fully automated cloud service. Syncing across devices requires setup. The ecosystem of compatible apps, while broad, means you need to choose and configure an application rather than simply creating an account.
But for users who value security, transparency, and control – who want to verify rather than trust, and who prefer owning their data to renting access to it – the KeePass ecosystem offers something no proprietary service can match.
How KeePass Fits Into Your Security Stack
A KeePass database is one component of a comprehensive security approach. It works best alongside other security practices.
Your master passphrase should follow the principles outlined in the password security guide – a sequence of five or more random, unrelated words that provides high entropy while remaining memorable. The zero-knowledge encryption model that KeePass embodies means your security depends entirely on the strength of this passphrase and the secrecy of any key file you use.
For master passwords specifically, understanding how password salting works helps explain why the key derivation process in KDBX is designed the way it is. Salting ensures that even if two users choose the same master password, their encryption keys will differ, preventing precomputed attacks.
Two-factor authentication on the services stored in your vault adds a critical second layer. Even if an attacker somehow obtained a decrypted copy of your database, two-factor authentication on your email, banking, and other high-value accounts would block unauthorized access.
For a broader perspective on how KeePass fits within the password manager landscape, our password managers pillar page compares the KeePass approach with cloud-based and browser-based alternatives.
Getting Started with KeePass
Adopting the KeePass format is simpler than it might appear. Here is your path forward:
Choose a compatible application. Select an app for your primary platform. KeePassXC for desktop, Strongbox or KeePassium for iOS, KeePassDX for Android. Our compatible apps guide helps you choose.
Create your database. Open your chosen app and create a new KDBX database. Set a strong master passphrase of five or more random words. Optionally configure a key file for additional security.
Configure encryption settings. Most apps default to AES-256 with Argon2 key derivation. Review the settings and increase the Argon2 memory and iteration parameters if your device handles them comfortably. Stronger settings mean longer unlock times but better protection against brute-force attacks.
Migrate existing passwords. If you are coming from another password manager or browser storage, import your existing credentials. Follow our migration guides for LastPass, 1Password, or browser passwords.
Set up backups. Before you rely on the database for daily use, establish your backup strategy. Copy the file to at least one additional location. Verify you can open the backup copy with your master password.
Set up sync (optional). If you use multiple devices, place your database file in a cloud storage folder that syncs across them, or use your chosen app’s built-in sync mechanism. The encrypted file can safely travel through any cloud service.
Audit and strengthen. Once your credentials are imported, review them. Replace weak and reused passwords with generated ones, starting with your most important accounts.
The KeePass format has protected passwords for over two decades. It will continue to do so for decades to come – not because of any company’s promise, but because of open standards, proven cryptography, and a global community of users and developers who depend on it every day. Your passwords are too important to entrust to anything less.
