Password Manager — Manual Windows

Creating and using backups

The Password Manager automatically creates a backup of your keychain every time the keychain changes. These automatic backups are stored in the Documents\Steganos Password Manager\Backup folder; the 20 most recent copies are kept.

We strongly recommend also keeping a backup on an external storage medium so that you don't lose access to your passwords if, for example, your hard drive is damaged or you lose access to your computer.

Creating a backup

  1. Open the keychain you want to back up.
  2. Select "File" → "Backup..." in the menu bar.
  3. File Explorer opens. Choose where to store the backup and click "Select Folder". We recommend an external hard drive or any cloud storage as the location for the backup. The backup of your keychain is of course fully encrypted.
  4. Repeat this regularly so that you always have an up-to-date copy.

Note: Your backup consists of one file with the extension ".spm", several files with the extension ".spe" and, if present, files with the extension ".bin" (file attachments). If you move the backup to another location later, always move all of these files together.

Restoring a backup

  1. Start the Password Manager.
  2. Select "File" → "Start..." → "I already have a keychain" → "On this PC" in the menu bar.
  3. File Explorer opens in the Documents\Steganos Password Manager folder. Open the "Backup" folder there.
    There is a separate folder for each of your keychains. Each one contains the most recent backup as well as copies created during earlier changes.
  4. Try the most recent backup first. Open the folder of the keychain you want, then the "Latest" subfolder. Select the keychain file there and click "Open". If a keychain with the same name already exists, the Password Manager first asks whether you want to open the existing keychain. To restore the backup, answer "No" and then confirm the question "Replace existing keychain?" with "Yes". The previous state is kept in the "Backup" subfolder.
  5. Enter your password, and your keychain is added and ready to use again.

If you created a backup manually, follow the same steps, but in File Explorer select the location of your backup instead of the automatic copy.