KeePass main window hides behind other window after entering master password
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#2393 KeePass main window hides behind other window after entering master password
- Install KeePass 2.59
- Start Windows Explorer
- Navigate to directory which contains .kdbx file
- Double click the .kdbx file
- Enter correct master password
Result:
KeePass opens, but behind the Windows Explorer. It should open like all the years before, not being hidden behind Windows Explorer.
Did not happen with previous versions of KeePass.
There have been no changes related to window focusing in KeePass 2.59. Furthermore, I cannot reproduce this issue and also don't see what I could do about it. Most likely it is caused by something else (e.g. a plugin or other software that affects window focusing).
Best regards,
Dominik
I see the same thing in 2.58 with current Windows 11 (24H2 Build 26100.4652):
Using a portable installation on a stick I open the directory on the stick in Explorer, double-click KeePass. After entering the master password I see nothing. Using Alt+Tab I see there is a KeepPass window (the one that asks whether to change the master key in my case) behind the Explorer window. I have to bring that window to foreground every time. Absolutely repeatable.
Possibly not KeePass's primary fault, but still bad user experience.
Last edit: Ulrich Windl 2025-07-26
I run KeePass portable from disk and can't get it to hide behind anything, unless I double click on KeePass.exe, then click on something else, but this drops the master key window behind. Returning the focus to the master key dialogue leaves KeePass in focus.
The change master key dialogue is because you have set the database to require a new master key. Turn that off and save the database, then see what happens.
cheers, Paul
The problem is still there, and it's annoying: The title of the popup is "KeePass", and the (rather small) window is hidden behind the explorer window that started KeePass.
Furthermore that popup window is not listed in the Windows taskbar, so the user has no clue that a non-visible window is waiting for input.
Notably, the dialog to ask for the master password is not hidden (obviously), but the popup (following it) is.
I have no idea what causes this, but it's very bad usability. The only way to fix the problem is that the user has to know that there is a hidden window, and the user must change to that window (via Alt+TAB) to click on "no" (I don't want to change the master password now; "yes" would work also, I guess).
Suggesting to disable the option to change the master password periodically is a work-around at best, but not a solution for the problem.
What you described might be related to the following:
https://sourceforge.net/p/keepass/discussion/329221/thread/0a4a1a7ee7/
My suggestion would be to try the development snapshot in that thread.
Best regards,
Dominik