Not only is it frustrating trying to remember a growing number of passwords, but having to type in lengthy passwords with random characters on a phone isn’t fun either. Thanks to Keepass2Android, I get to autofill passwords in Android while using my favorite password manager, KeePass.
Content
- Choose the Right Version of Keepass2Android
- Setting Up Your Database
- Autofill Password in Android
- Enable QuickUnlock
- Finding Entries in Large Databases
Choose the Right Version of Keepass2Android
Keepass2Android is the Android version of the popular open-source desktop password manager, KeePass. Unlike KeePass, which requires a plugin to autofill passwords, Keepass2Android does it with just a few changes to your system settings.
There are two versions of Keepass2Android in the Play Store. One is the full version, with support for local storage as well as various cloud storage services. If I wanted to store my database file online, I’d use Keepass2Android Password Safe. The other is Keepass2Android Offline. As the name implies, it only has local storage support. It’s best for those who don’t need the cloud storage access.
Both versions support KeePass 1.x and 2.x databases, so it’s all about personal preference. I prefer the local storage myself, but for this tutorial, I’m using the cloud storage version. Both versions work the same outside of the storage.
Setting Up Your Database
Once you have installed Keepass2Android, open it, and connect to your KeePass database. Select the database file from the local storage or any of your cloud storage accounts. If you’re using KeePass for the first time, select Create new database instead. During creation, choose between local or cloud storage.
Once you’ve created a link between your desired service and Keepass2Android, enter your master password (and any other steps required) to unlock the database. I’m using Dropbox as an example, mainly because I really don’t trust storing any password databases on Google Drive.
Autofill Password in Android
Keepass2Android isn’t set up to autofill a password in Android by default. I personally like that it prompts you to set it up and doesn’t just assume. The first time I unlocked my database in the app, I was prompted to enable autofill at the bottom of the screen.
If you don’t see the prompt, open Settings on your phone, and go to General management. Depending on your device, it may also be Language & input. Scroll down to Passwords, passkeys, and autofill. If you don’t see this setting, use the search feature in Settings to search for autofill. Out of three Android phones, the steps were slightly different for each during testing. Select Keepass2Android.
Go back to General management, and tap Keyboard list and default. Turn on Keepass2Android. At the top of the window, tap Default keyboard, and select Keepass2Android. This enables an autofill button on the keyboard. Handy, right?
I had to confirm I wanted to use Keepass2Android twice, but this may vary based on device type.
Open your favorite mobile browser and navigate to a site to log in. Alternately, open Keepass2Android, select an entry, and tap the URL to go directly to the login page. Only do this for a site in which you’ve already saved your credentials.
Tap the username and password fields on the site, then tap the cute little droid icon in the bottom row of the keyboard. Depending on your device, you may only see a Fill with Keepass2Android button just above the keyboard.
To make life easier (who doesn’t love that!), the app only requires you to enter the last three characters of your database’s master password to access it. If you’ve had your device off, you may need to enter the master password to unlock the database.
Select the entry when prompted, then tap the username field on the site. The keyboard switches to a single row. Use the arrow button, and select either username or email address. If you’re logging in to your email account, like I am in the example, choose email address.
Once you’ve used Keepass2Android for the first time, some sites display a pop-up when you tap a login field to autofill with Keepass2Android. This doesn’t always happen, but it’s another way to select an entry.
Tap the password field and repeat the process. For me, once I entered the email address, a pop-up to fill in the password appeared as well, but I haven’t had that happen on all sites.
Also, if you tap the droid icon, it brings up a list of fields. I’ve never had that work to autofill the username on any site, but it did work for the password. It’s an odd glitch, but you should be aware of it.
I know it seems a little confusing and complicated at first, but trust me when I say that after using it a few times, it gets much easier to autofill passwords in Android.
Enable QuickUnlock
Other than the feature to autofill passwords on your Android device, Keepass2Android also has a QuickUnlock feature that allows you to quickly unlock an opened database without having to enter the full password again. For me, it was on by default, but if you followed the steps above and wondered where this easy unlock option was, I have you covered.
Open Keepass2Android, log in to the database, and tap the three-dot menu in the top right. Select Settings -> App -> QuickUnlock. Turn on QuickUnlock. You can also adjust the length of the required password and hide the length.
Finding Entries in Large Databases
While I used a temporary database with just a few entries for this tutorial, my regular Keepass2Android database has over two hundred entries – hence, the reason I need a password manager. Instead of having to remember where every entry is, I use the Advanced Search feature to find exactly what I need.
When prompted to select an entry while logging in to a site, tap the three-dot menu in Keepass2Android, and select Advanced Search. Use the filters to narrow your search and enter your search term. There’s even a Regular expression option.
Personally, I prefer using KeePass due to its strong encryption, open-source design, and ease of use, but I know the autofill service is not for everyone. Try one of these other password managers instead if you prefer something different. And, for us Windows users, learn how to lock down your files and folders with passwords.
All images and screenshots by Crystal Crowder.
Crystal Crowder –
Staff Writer
Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.
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