KeePass

ApplicationDominik Reichl

Also called keepass 2, keepass password safe, kdbx

Dominik ReichlSecurity

The original .NET KeePass. The vault is a local kdbx file. The window is KeePass.exe. It is not KeePassXC.

What you need to know

KeePass is Dominik Reichl's .NET app. KeePassXC is a different client.

KeePass.exe stores a local kdbx. There is no official hosted vault. KeePassXC is a Qt client that can open the same file family. Bitwarden and 1Password are hosted products. LastPass is not a kdbx.

What is it?: Original .NET KeePass. Local kdbx
Same as KeePassXC?: No. Different team and UI
Official cloud?: No. You store the file

Feex says

If the window says KeePass and the team name is KeePassXC, you opened the other app. This KeePass is Dominik Reichl's .NET program. The kdbx can be shared, but the plugins are not interchangeable.

What is KeePass?

KeePass is the original local password manager. KeePass.exe is the Windows .NET app. The database is a kdbx file you store yourself.

If you have never used it

If you want the original Windows KeePass, this is Dominik Reichl's .NET app. Download it from keepass.info/download.html. KeePass.exe opens a local .kdbx file. There is no official Bitwarden-style cloud. KeePassXC is a different program by a different team. Plugins on keepass.info are for this KeePass, not for KeePassXC.

What is it used for?

Local kdbx vault

The file lives where you put it. Sync is your USB, folder, or sync client. That is not LastPass hosting.

Plugins from keepass.info

Official plugins target this KeePass. KeePassXC will not load them.

Triggers and Auto-Type

Auto-Type is a KeePass 2 feature. 1Password fill is a different mechanism.

Who is it for?

People who want a local file and no vendor account
Users who already have a kdbx and the original KeePass.exe
Anyone about to install KeePassXC by mistake

Current status

Actively maintained by Dominik Reichl. This article is KeePass 2.x for Windows, not KeePassXC.

How old is it?

Dominik Reichl released KeePass in 2003. KeePass 2.x is the current .NET line. KeePassXC began later as a community client. A KeePass 1.x .kdb file is the old format.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

KeePass 2.x

KeePass 1.x (.kdb)

Portable ZIP

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	Windows 10 or Windows 11 with a current .NET Desktop Runtime, per keepass.info
RAM	Light. The .NET runtime is the main extra

Resource profile

CPU demand: Low except key derivation on unlock
Disk demand: The kdbx file you chose

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
KeePass.exe	Original KeePass 2.x Windows app

Startup components

KeePass.exe starts when you open it, or from a shortcut you added. It is not a resident antivirus.

File locations

Common KeePass locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\KeePass Password Safe 2\

File formats

KDBXKDB (legacy import)

Common problems

People install KeePassXC and look for keepass.info plugins

Those plugins are for this KeePass. XC has its own browser integration.

Lost kdbx with no backup

There is no LastPass account reset for a local file you never copied. The master password is the only unlock.

Getting unstuck

Download only from keepass.info

The author's site is keepass.info/download.html. keepassxc.org is the other client.

Confirm KeePass.exe, not KeePassXC.exe

Open file location. Program Files\KeePass Password Safe 2 is this product.

Back up the kdbx before you move PCs

Copy the file. There is no cloud export button unless you added a plugin or a sync folder.

Alternatives

KeePassXC if you want a Qt client that opens kdbx. Bitwarden if you want a hosted or self-hosted service. 1Password if you want AgileBits.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	keepass.info/download.html Official installer or vendor page
Help	keepass.info/help/ Vendor support
Official site	keepass.info/ Start here, not a random exe host
Plugins	keepass.info/plugins.html Official plugin list. KeePassXC does not use these

Related hardware

The .NET app is light. The kdbx can live on a USB. That USB is your availability story.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

KeePass official site · Vendor product page
KeePass help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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