Today, I'm going to show you how to manage your credentials on your phone and desktop computer. This tutorial is only for Android devices as I don't own an iPhone. The two apps we use are both open-source.

KeePassXC in a nutshell

We save our credentials using KeePassXC, a well-known cross-platform password manager. Head over to the website to check out all its features. In short, this great application allows you to save passphrases, usernames, one-time two-factor codes, other secret text, notes and even files. All of this information is saved in a database file, which is protected by a passphrase (you can also use a hardware key or key file for additional protection). I won't explain how to use KeePassXC in detail, but it's not a complicated application. Basically, you create an entry for each login (for example, an email address and a password) and save it with a name. Ultimately, you'll have one file containing all your passwords, organised neatly.

Syncing the credentials

Let's say you created this file on your desktop PC. You also want to use your credentials on your Android phone. This is where Syncthing comes into play. Download and install the application on both your desktop PC and your Android phone. It's available on F-Droid for example with a slightly different name: https://f-droid.org/de/packages/com.kunzisoft.keepass.libre. Next, put the credentials file in a folder. This folder will then be synced with your phone. Open the Syncthing web interface and add the folder. You will also need to connect Syncthing on your desktop to Syncthing on your Android phone. Usually, you'll scan the QR code of your desktop Syncthing with your phone to pair them. Next, share the added folder with your phone. Make sure you provide write permissions so that you can also update your credentials on your phone. Allow Syncthing to complete the process and check whether the file has been synced to your phone. Please note that both devices need to be online, or at least on the same network, at the same time. Open the file with the Keepass Android app and unlock it with your passphrase.

You can now access and edit your credentials on both your phone and desktop. Enjoy! For added convenience on desktop, check out the KeePassXC browser extensions.

I hope you find this useful. Thanks for sticking with me, and have a good day!

#syncthing #keepassxc #credentials #passwords #passwordmanager