Using the KeePassXC password manager you can:

  • Store many passwords in an encrypted database which is protected by a single passphrase of your choice.
  • Always use different and stronger passwords, since you only have to remember a single passphrase to unlock the entire database.
  • Generate very strong random passwords.
  1. Creating and saving a password database
  2. Restoring and unlocking the password database
  3. Storing your KeePassXC settings in the Persistent Storage
  4. Additional documentation

Creating and saving a password database

Follow these steps to create a new password database and save it in the Persistent Storage for use in future working sessions.

To learn how to create a Persistent Storage, read our documentation on the Persistent Storage.

  1. When starting Tails, unlock the Persistent Storage.

  2. In Tails, choose Applications ▸ Persistent Storage.

  3. Verify that the Persistent Folder feature is turned on.

  4. To start KeePassXC, choose Applications ▸ Accessories ▸ KeePassXC.

  5. To create a new database, click Create new database.

  6. Continue with the defaults settings in the configuration screens General Database Information and Encryption Settings.

  7. The database is encrypted and protected by a passphrase. In the configuration screen Database Credentials:

    • Specify a passphrase of your choice in the Enter password text box.
    • Type the same passphrase again in the Confirm password text box.
    • Click Done.

  8. Save the database as Passwords.kdbx in the Persistent folder.

Restoring and unlocking the password database

Follow these steps to unlock the password database saved in the Persistent Storage from a previous working session.

  1. When starting Tails, unlock the Persistent Storage.

  2. In Tails, choose Applications ▸ Accessories ▸ KeePassXC.

  3. If you have a database named Passwords.kdbx in your Persistent folder, KeePassXC automatically displays a dialog to unlock that database.

    Enter the passphrase for this database and click OK.

  4. If you enter a wrong passphrase the following error message appears:

    Error while reading the database: Invalid credentials were provided, please try again.

The auto-type feature of KeePassXC is broken for most applications since Tails 5.8 (December 2021).

Storing your KeePassXC settings in the Persistent Storage

To store your KeePassXC settings in the Persistent Storage, in addition to the password database:

  1. Turn on the Dotfiles feature of the Persistent Storage.

  2. Restart Tails.

  3. In the Welcome Screen, unlock the Persistent Storage.

  4. In Tails, choose Places ▸ Dotfiles.

  5. Create the folder /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.config/keepassxc/.

  6. Copy the file ~/.config/keepassxc/keepassxc.ini to /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.config/keepassxc/keepassxc.ini.

Additional documentation

For more detailed instructions on how to use KeePassXC, refer to the KeePassXC guide of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.