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PasswdSafe on Android
Port of the Password Safe application to Android
Chromebook Support
PasswdSafe and PasswdSafe Sync are available from the Google Play store on
Chromebooks. Some features such as YubiKeys and the alternate keyboard may not
be available.
File Support
Password files can be stored locally or in a cloud service. The following
tables show the support for various locations of files on phones/tables or
Chromebooks and how they are usable with PasswdSafe. Support is as listed on
Jan 21, 2024 with the latest version of PasswdSafe.
Phones and Tablets
| Source | PasswdSafe Files Open | From Provider App | PasswdSafe Sync |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Files | read-write | N/A | N/A |
| Box | read-write | read-write | read-write |
| Dropbox | read-only (1) | read-write | read-write |
| Google Drive | read-write | read-write | read-write (2) |
| OneDrive | read-only (3) | read-only (3) | read-write |
| Google Files app | N/A | read-only (4) | N/A |
| Proton Drive | read-only (1) | N/A | N/A |
- App file provider doesn't support writes
- Special handling for Drive sync
files - OneDrive provider throws 'Not a whole file' error
- Writes fail with a permission denial error from the Google Files app
Chromebook
| Source | Support |
|---|---|
| PasswdSafe chooser - Local files | read-write |
| PasswdSafe chooser - USB files | read-write |
| PasswdSafe chooser - Google Drive files | read-only |
| PasswdSafe chooser - OneDrive files (from OneDrive app) | read-write |
| Google Drive App | read-write |
| OneDrive App | read-only |
Cloud Service Sync
Start by uploading .psafe3 files to your Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive
account using the service’s native app or website. PasswdSafe Sync should then
sync the files to your phone or tablet.
- Dropbox – Individual Dropbox files can be chosen to synchronize.
- Box – Box files should be placed in the top folder or any folder tagged with
‘passwdsafe’ so it shows in a search result. - Google Drive – Google Drive files can be used or
synced. - OneDrive - Individual OneDrive files can be chosen to synchronize
PasswdSafe Keyboard
The PasswdSafe keyboard can be used to enter fields directly into other apps
without using the system clipboard. The process of enabling the keyboard on
Android 8 is given below. Other versions are similar.
- Open the device's settings
- Locate the Languages and Input settings
- Under Keyboard and Inputs, select Virtual keyboard
- Click Manage keyboards
- Enable the PasswdSafe option
To switch between the default Google keyboard and the PasswdSafe keyboard, look
for a keyboard icon in the bottom button bar, the top notification area, or on
the current keyboard. Clicking the icon should allow you to choose the
PasswdSafe keyboard.
YubiKey Support
PasswdSafe is compatible with USB and NFC based YubiKeys. NFC based YubiKeys
require NFC communication enabled in the device. USB based YubiKeys should be
usable in recent version of Android on phones and tables. Chromebooks do not
allow access to USB devices, so the keys are not supported.
Prior to using a YubiKey with PasswdSafe, the key needs to be programmed for
Password Safe, and a password needs to be set with the YubiKey by the PC
program. Help is available in the PC program for the setup.
To use a YubiKey, follow these steps:
- If using a NFC-enabled YubiKey (e.g. a NEO), enable NFC support in the device
settings - Enter the user password to the file
- Choose which slot on the YubiKey has the challenge-response key. Usually slot
2 is used for Password Safe. - Check the YubiKey option
- Click OK
- Within 30 seconds, activate the YubiKey
- For NFC, press the YubiKey to the back of the phone or tablet. There will
be sounds as the key is being read. If the device doesn't respond with a
rising tone, try moving the key around. A bit of trial-and-error is
needed to find the correct location. The button on the YubiKey itself
does not need to be pressed. - For USB, insert the YubiKey and allow PasswdSafe access to the key. The
key can be inserted at any time while opening the file. If set in the
configuration of the YubiKey, the button may need to be pressed after
clicking OK. The indicator on the button should blink if a press is
required.
- For NFC, press the YubiKey to the back of the phone or tablet. There will
- Once the key is found and activated, it will be used to authenticate with
your password. The file will open automatically.
Saving Passwords
File passwords can be saved on devices with a biometrics scanner and Android 6.0
or higher. The passwords are encrypted using AES-256 keys that are protected by
a biometrics scan.
- To save a password, first ensure a biometrics scan is registered with the
device in the security settings. Then, check the save option, enter the
password, and click OK. After the password is verified, scan the biometric
credential when prompted. The password will be encrypted and saved, and the
file will open. - To use a saved password, scan the biometric credential instead of entering a
password. If the scan is successful, the password is decrypted and used to
open the file. If a YubiKey is used, the key will be read after the biometric
credential is scanned. - To remove a saved password, uncheck the save option and open the file. The
saved password will be erased from the device. All saved passwords can be
removed from the password preferences.
