Keyring for Android—A Simple Password Safe

Keyring for Android Screenshot

Palm Keyring for Android is a password safe. It will read and write database files produced by the Java application KeyringEditor. It uses the same file format and will open and edit files from the original Keyring for Palm OS application. It lets you securely store secret information with only a single master password to remember. Use it to store passwords, online logins, account numbers or anything you want to store securely.

Keyring for Android is for anyone who wants to continue to use a Keyring for Palm OS database file. Anyone starting a new database file may want to consider KeePass, a more recent password safe application that also has an Android version.

Keyring for Android is a port of KeyringEditor by Markus Griessnig which is based on Java Keyring v0.6 by Frank Taylor. Both are derived from Keyring for Palm OS.

Downloads

Install Keyring for Android version 1.8
released May 2023

Get it on Google Play

Google Play privacy policy statement for Keyring for Android.

Download Keyring-1-8
Here's the apk for those who want to install it manually:
Keyring-1-8.apk, 75,141 bytes
md5 hash: ffb13763aca2fd3618b54e8f594f06aa

Opening Files

Cloud Storage

Storing your data in the cloud allows you to access it from multiple devices: laptops, desktops, tablets and smart phones. Since about Feb 2023 the Dropbox app will no longer open a Keyring database file (.pdb) stored on Dropbox. Dropbox doesn't even sync files on Android either but fortunately Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive do.

To use Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive (assuming they are already installed on the device) open the Keyring app, select File/Open Local File from the menu and use the file picker to locate the Keyring file under OneDrive or Google Drive. If the file has recently been modified using a different device make sure you download a fresh copy using File/Open Local File to keep the file in sync.

To get started using Keyring for Android on cloud storage without a PC or laptop, create a new local cardfile using File/Create New Local File and upload it to the cloud using the cloud service app then reopen it using File/Open Local File under the cloud service file space. For some cloud services you may be able to create a new local cardfile directly in the cloud service file space using File/Create New Local File.

Local Files

Local files can be stored on the device in any publicly accessible area. Create a new database file with File/Create New Local File. You will be asked to create a password for it. (Currently the password can only be changed using the Java desktop app KeyringEditor.) Open an existing local file with File/Open Local File. A file browser app such as 'MyFiles' can be used to create a new folder and copy, rename, move or delete files.

Private Files

Keyring has its own private storage area on the device in the folder Android/data/com.pnewman.keyring/files. Android security now prevents other apps, even file manager apps, from accessing this private storage. Open an existing private file with File/Open Private File. (This is the old legacy Keyring file open function from the days before the Android security restrictions.)

You can also transfer a Keyring database file between a desktop and Android using a USB cable (even into the private Keyring file space). Keyring will attempt to load the most recently used local or private file when started directly. Use the About menu item to find out which file Keyring is using.

Brief Instructions

On opening a Keyring database file the password must first be entered. There are only two main screens in the app. The List screen lists the titles of all entries. Select an entry to display it. A timeout function will lock the database after a configurable time. The Lock button will also lock the database.

The Edit menu offers the New Entry, Edit Entry and Delete Entry options. To prevent accidents the Edit menu can be disabled using "Read Only Mode" in the Preferences menu.

To start a new database file use File/Create New Local File. Alternatively, consider using the KeePass application, a more recent password safe application that also has an Android version.

To change the password for the database file or the strength of the encryption use KeyringEditor.

Text recognized as a web link will be colored and underlined. If you tap such text Android will attempt to bring up the link in the default web browser.

There are two file formats. Version 4 is an old format that is no longer sufficiently secure. It is retained so that old files can still be read. If you have a version 4 file please use KeyringEditor to update it to version 5 with AES128 or AES256 encryption. The About screen gives the version of the file you are using.

Keyring 1.8—May 2023

Keyring 1.7—September 2022

Keyring 1.6—January 2022

Keyring 1.5—January 2022

Keyring 1.4—April 2021

Keyring 1.3—June 2017

Source Code

Keyring for Android 1.8

License

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details: www.gnu.org/licenses.