Keepass2Android: local and remote KeePass-based password manager app

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 28, 2013
Updated • Nov 28, 2013
Apps, Google Android
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I have been using KeePass as my password manager ever since I decided that I wanted full control over my password database. Before that, I have used online password managers like LastPass, which, while convenient, stored the database on remote servers that I had no control over.

One of of the conveniences of an online password manager is the availability on nearly every platform, be it a desktop PC, a tablet computer, or a smartphone.

There is no official KeePass application for Android or other mobile devices, but that is more than made up for by third-party clients that are available.

KeePass2Android is certainly one of the most powerful ones, as it has more to offer than access to your password database.

KeePass2Android

You have two options when you start the program for the first time. You can load an existing KeePass database file into the application, or create a new database right on the device.

If you select to open a database file, you are asked to pick its location. It can be a local file, one that you have created previously or one that you have transferred to the Android system previously, or a remote file that is on popular file hosting services such as Dropbox, Google Drive or SkyDrive, or a custom FTP, HTTP or HTTP server.

All you have to do then is to pick the KeePass database so that it gets loaded by the app. You may need to authorize the app first before you can do so, but that is a one-time thing only.

Here you can also enable the apps Quick Unlock feature if you want. Quick Unlock has been designed to take away the inconvenience of having to enter a secure strong password every time you need to access the database. When activated, it will ask for the last three characters of the master password for a certain period of time once you have supplied the full password.

You can modify the length of characters that need to be entered in the program preferences. Here you can also modify the application timeout, that is the interval before the database gets locked again.

Another interesting feature is how it integrates into mobile browsers. Once you have installed the app and linked a password database to it, you can use the sharing feature of Android to search for passwords for the site you are on in the database.

How that works? Open the website that requires authentication to continue. Tap on the menu button and select Share from it. Here you need to select Keepass2Android now to copy the username and password if exactly one entry matches the visited address.

Tip: it is interesting to note that the author has created a second version of the app that does not require Internet privileges. It is an offline version, and some users may prefer that over the online version as it cannot make net connections of its own due to a lack of privileges.

Verdict

If you are using KeePass as your password manager and use Android devices as well, you may find the app more than helpful in bringing your password database to the mobile operating system. (via Caschy)

Now Read: KeePass: one shortcut to rule them all

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Comments

  1. Dante said on December 1, 2013 at 6:38 pm
    Reply

    Thanks for the no network connection find. Been looking for something like that for a while.

  2. Shai said on November 30, 2013 at 7:28 pm
    Reply

    That looks very nice and handy.
    KeePass is simply great, and it is nice to have a relatively streamlined way to sync it across devices.
    In my opinion using a Password manager is a must these days, and KeePass (again, in my opinion) is one of the best out-there.

  3. InterestedBystander said on November 28, 2013 at 7:07 pm
    Reply

    Interesting. I’ve used KeePassX for some time now on both Windows and Linux machines. As you probably know, KeePassX reads KeePass databases. It’s a desktop application but it can sync local and remote files. Very useful when banging around multiple machines. I’m playing with Android for x86; a live ISO boots OK but I haven’t yet got a persistent version to boot. When I do, I’ll check into the app you mention, Keepass2Android, and maybe KeePassDroid too.

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