Short answer
KeePass has no built-in Google Drive sync. You either keep the .kdbx file in a folder that Google Drive for desktop syncs, or you add a third-party plugin. Most of the pain comes from sync conflicts, stale files on Android and sign-in errors, not from the encryption.
Secure It Password Manager keeps one encrypted vault file in your own Google Drive with no plugin. It is a different tool from KeePass, though, and KeePass or KeePassXC is the better choice in several cases (see below).
- Simplest KeePass setup: put the database in a Drive-synced folder and let Drive move the file. This is what KeePass's own help recommends for cloud storage.
- Most common failures: two devices edit at once, an Android app reads a cached copy, or a plugin's Google sign-in fails.
- Safety: a .kdbx in Drive is only as safe as your master password and key file, because Google can see the file but should not be able to open it.
The ways to sync KeePass with Google Drive
KeePass's official help says KeePass 2.x can merge changes from several copies of a database, and that cloud services such as Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive "offer local file system integration", which is the recommended way to reach them. In other words, KeePass syncs a file. It does not talk to Google's API itself.
Method 1: the Drive for desktop folder (recommended)
- Install Google Drive for desktop and sign in.
- Move or save your .kdbx into a Drive folder. If you use Drive in "stream" mode, mark the file or folder as available offline. Google's help notes that streaming keeps files on Google's servers, while mirroring downloads a full copy to your computer. For a password file you open every day, mirroring (or offline availability) is the safer choice.
- Open that file in KeePass or KeePassXC from the Drive folder.
- On every other computer, open the same synced file.
KeePassXC's own FAQ describes the same idea: it has no built-in cloud sync, and the developers suggest storing the database in a shared cloud folder and letting the cloud service move it. They give simplicity, compatibility with any provider and less code complexity as reasons. If you use a key file, sync only the database and move the key file to each device by another route.
We haven't re-tested every step on the latest app versions, so check the menu names against your own versions.
Method 2: KeePassDX or KeePass2Android on Android
Android clients don't sync with Google's API either. KeePassDX uses Android's Storage Access Framework: you pick the file through your file manager's provider, and KeePassDX receives a URI rather than a normal file path. Its wiki says most sync problems are caused by the cloud app used, and that KeePassDX has no cache of its own.
For Google Drive specifically, the KeePassDX wiki lists only partial compatibility: data loss can happen when the file is updated from somewhere else, links expire after a time, and Drive saves with a delay and can give incorrect timestamps. It suggests the DriveSync app as a way around caching errors. (Wiki content as read on 15 Oct 2026; it can change.)
Method 3: a Google Drive plugin
KeePass's plugin list includes KPGoogleSync, which synchronizes a database with Google Drive through the Google API, with a Tools-menu sync and an on-save option. Its SourceForge page shows a last release dated 29 Nov 2016, and 2021–2022 reviews from users who could not get it working (including a Google login pop-up saying the browser was not supported). There is a fork on GitHub (walterpg/google-drive-sync). We would not build a password workflow on a plugin that has not had a release in years, unless you are comfortable maintaining it yourself.
Common errors and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Two versions of the database, or "my change disappeared" | Two devices saved without merging; the older copy won | In KeePass, use File > Synchronize so the copies are merged. KeePass merges at entry level and keeps the older version of a changed entry in its history. Restore from Drive's file version history if needed. |
| Android shows an old database | The file manager or cloud app is serving a cached copy | Reload or clear the cloud app's cache, as the KeePassDX wiki advises. Open the file through the document picker (not a long-press) so the link persists. |
| Android overwrote changes from the desktop | The app saved over a newer remote file | A 2021 ctrl.blog test found that KeePassDX tells you the file changed but leaves the reload to you, and saving anyway overwrites remote changes. KeePass2Android asks you to merge or overwrite. Reload before editing. |
| Plugin: Google sign-in says the browser is not supported or access is blocked | Google restricts OAuth sign-in inside embedded browsers; older plugins may use one | Google's OAuth policy says developers must not send authorization requests to embedded user-agents they control. We found no official fix for this plugin. Using the Drive for desktop folder avoids the sign-in step. |
| Plugin: "does not respond" or 403 on a managed network | A proxy or firewall can block Drive; users have also reported 403 when using a direct file URL | Reviewers reported a corporate proxy blocking the Drive app, and a 403 that went away when they used the plugin's Configuration option instead of a file URL. These are user reports, not vendor documentation. |
| Corrupt or empty file after sync | A sync tool copied the file mid-save | Avoid editing on two devices at once, and keep dated backups. The KeePassDX wiki warns that Syncthing can corrupt data if it syncs during a save. |
The common thread is that file sync tools know nothing about the structure of a KeePass database. A tool that treats the vault as one file and never merges it can only pick a winner.
Is it safe to keep a .kdbx in Drive?
Yes, if the database is protected by a strong master password (ideally a long passphrase) and, optionally, a key file. KeePass protects the file with AES-256, ChaCha20 or Twofish, according to keepass.info. Google stores an encrypted blob and does not hold your master password.
What Google can see is the file name, size, modification times and when it is accessed. A weak master password is the real risk: anyone who obtains a copy of the file can try guesses offline. Keep a strong key-derivation setting, and do not put the key file in the same Drive folder as the database.
KeePass + Drive vs Secure It
As of 15 Oct 2026:
| KeePass / KeePassXC + Google Drive | Secure It Password Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Install the app, install Drive for desktop, place the file, configure each device | Sign in to Google Drive from the app; no plugin |
| How sync works | A file-sync tool moves the .kdbx; KeePass merges when you ask or on save | One encrypted file (vault.enc) in your own Drive, using the narrow drive.file scope |
| Conflict handling | Entry-level merge in KeePass; behaviour on Android varies by app | We have not published a conflict-handling description yet |
| Android | Third-party apps (KeePassDX, KeePass2Android) | Android app, in closed testing, not yet in production |
| Windows | KeePass 2.x (v2.61.1, May 2026) or KeePassXC (v2.7.12, Mar 2026) | App on Microsoft Store (free, unlocked by the Google Play purchase) |
| Browser extension | KeePassXC-Browser (Firefox, Chrome/Chromium/Vivaldi) | Chrome extension (also Brave and Opera); Edge listing in review |
| Price | Free | A one-time purchase of US$4.99 (local prices vary by country on Google Play) |
| Open source | Yes (KeePassXC: GPLv3) | No audit yet; see /security/ |
| Independent audit | See each project's own pages | None yet |
| Encryption | AES-256, ChaCha20, Twofish | Argon2id key derivation, AES-256-GCM, on the device |
| Languages | Varies by app | 12 |
| iOS | Third-party apps exist | No iOS app |
| Google account | Not required | Required for sync |
For more detail on what Secure It stores and how, see Secure It at a glance and the security page.
Choose KeePass or KeePassXC if…
- You want open source and a long track record. KeePass and KeePassXC have had years of public scrutiny, and you can read the code. Secure It has no independent audit yet.
- You want no Google account at all. KeePass works fully offline, with any sync method you choose (Syncthing, Nextcloud, a USB stick).
- You rely on plugins and advanced features. Key files, hardware keys, custom fields, automation and a large ecosystem are where KeePass is strong.
- You need iOS. Third-party KeePass apps exist for iOS. We do not have an iOS app.
- You want it free. KeePass and KeePassXC cost nothing.
- Your setup already works. If Drive for desktop plus KeePassXC syncs cleanly for you, switching adds little.
Choose Secure It if…
- You want Drive sync without setting up a plugin or a sync tool. "Secure It is a zero-knowledge password manager that stores your encrypted vault in your own Google Drive: no company servers, not even ours."
- You prefer paying once. It is a one-time purchase of US$4.99, with no subscription. The Windows app and the Chrome extension are included.
- You want Android, Windows and a browser extension from one purchase, with the vault encrypted on the device using Argon2id and AES-256-GCM, and a 12-word recovery phrase.
- You use a language other than English. The app is available in 12 languages.
Our limits, plainly:
- No independent security audit yet.
- Sync needs a Google account. The vault file is encrypted, but it lives in your Google Drive.
- Android is in closed testing, so you can't buy it on Google Play yet.
- No iOS app, and the Edge listing is pending review.
- We are a small, independent developer, not a large security company.
Moving from KeePass to Secure It
A step-by-step import guide is coming. We have not yet confirmed whether Secure It can import a .kdbx file directly, so don't delete your KeePass database. Keep it as a backup until you have checked that every entry arrived. You can see current availability on the download page and the price details on pricing.