KeePassXC is harder to use than most password managers but gives you complete control over your personal data management.
KeePassXC is a community-developed open-source fork of KeePass, one of the best password managers for Windows. KeePassXC differs from KeePass because it works on Linux, Mac, and Windows, but it also lacks some of the original software’s features, such as plug-in support. In our KeePassXC review, we look at why you might choose KeePassXC over established commercial password managers. Besides its cross-platform support, KeePassXC’s most interesting feature is autotype. Selecting a password entry in KeePassXC and hitting an Autofill shortcut key automatically fills in the username and password field of your current application. This works in most browsers and desktop applications without requiring a separate plugin. KeePassXC doesn’t have in-built syncing of database files across devices, but as the files are fully encrypted and self-contained, you can sync them on platforms like Google Drive or Dropbox without fear of anyone accessing the data without the master password. Installing and setting up KeePassXC is relatively straightforward. You download the application from the KeePassXC website and run through the simple setup program. Passwords in KeePassXC are stored in secure database files, and you’ll be prompted to create a new file or import passwords from a KeePass1 or 1Password file. A master password of your choice unlocks your database, and if you forget this password, the database will be unusable. Then you’ll fill in entries for all of your passwords, optionally adding notes and using the password generator to create secure passwords.
