How to cloud-enable Enpass Password Manager

Learn how to combine Enpass and Dropbox into a perfect, cloud-ready password manager.

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We've reached a point in time where very strong (non-memorizable) passwords should no longer be considered an option. Because of this, I tell everyone I advise to use a password manager that includes a random password generator so that the chances of someone hacking into one or more of their accounts are lessened exponentially.

One of the password managers that ticks off nearly all of my boxes is Enpass. It's cross-platform (available for Linux, Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows), has a great password generator, and (best of all) can be made cloud-ready.

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It's that last option that really seals the deal for me. Because of this, I can link every instance of Enpass I use to a single password database, thereby guaranteeing I can work with one collection of passwords on all of my devices, and that database will be always in sync.

How do I make that work? With the help of Dropbox. Let me show you how.

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What you need

The first thing you need is the Enpass Password Manager installed on any/all clients you want to work with. Enpass does offer a trial, but the trial is limited in how many entries a database can hold (20 entries). The full-blown version of Enpass is worth the price of entry ($11.99). You also need a Dropbox account and must have Dropbox installed on all clients that will use Enpass. The Dropbox free account will suffice, as the file size for the Enpass vault will most likely not exceed the 2GB storage capacity.

I'll demonstrate the set up on the Enpass desktop client, running on Elementary OS. The desktop platform shouldn't matter, as the interface is the same, regardless.

Prior to syncing the vault

Before you actually set up the Enpass vault for syncing, you need to make sure to Dropbox is installed on all of the devices you plan on using. I recommend installing and setting up Dropbox before you install Enpass. However, if you already installed Enpass, you can still get this working. How you install Dropbox will be dictated by the platforms you use.

Setting up the first time vault sync

Even if you've already installed Enpass, you can make the connection to Dropbox. I'll assume you've only just installed both Enpass and Dropbox and are ready to make the connection. If you have an Enpass vault that you exported from another instance, you'll want to place that file in the Apps/Enpass folder in root of your Dropbox storage. If that folder doesn't already exist, you need to create it. If you do already have a vault saved to Dropbox, you can, upon installing Enpass, click Dropbox in the first set-up screen (Figure A).

Figure A: The first step to setting up the Sync.

Once you click Dropbox, you'll be redirected to a Dropbox webpage, where you must click Allow to give Enpass permission to access the necessary folder (Apps/Enpass). Click Allow and Enpass should open, asking for the decryption password for the sync'd vault (Figure B). Type that password and click Restore.

Figure B: The Enpass main window on the desktop client.

Upon successful authentication to the vault, click Done (when prompted), and you are ready to work with Enpass.

Setting up sync with previous install

What if you've already have Enpass installed and want to sync it with Dropbox? This too is possible. Here's how:

1. Open Enpass.
2. Click the Gear icon.
3. From the Settings menu, click Vaults | Primary.
4. Click Set up Sync.
5. From the list (Figure C), click Dropbox.
6. When prompted log in to Dropbox (if necessary) and click Allow.

Figure C: Connecting Enpass to Dropbox, post-install.

Once access is granted, go back to Enpass and type the master password for the vault. You should be given entry to the vault and are ready to go.

Either way you set this up, Dropbox sync automatically starts working, so any password entries you add will automatically update to all other instances you have connected to your Dropbox account.

Enpass in the clouds

Of all the password managers I've used, Enpass makes for the most reliable and easiest to work with in the cloud. Once you have this set up working (on all your devices), you'll find using a password manager a complete no-brainer. And considering how using a password manager should be a must-have, this set up is ideal for nearly every type of user.