# Database Settings

Describes the various database options.

On the database settings dialog, you can configure various database-related settings.

- General
- Security Options
- Compression Options
- Templates

## General

On this tab page you can specify general things like the name of the database and a description. Additionally, you can set various defaults like a default user name for new entries (created in this database).

## Security Options

On this tab page you can specify various settings related to encryption. Only change these settings if you really know what you are doing.

Encryption Algorithm:
You can choose the algorithm that is used to encrypt the database. All encryption algorithms offered by KeePass are well-known, secure algorithms, see Database Encryption.

Key Transformation:
See Protection against Dictionary Attacks.

KeePass has a button on this tab page to compute the number of key transformations that your computer can do in 1 second. If you for instance only want to wait 0.5 seconds, half the number resulted from the benchmark.

## Compression Options

KeePass databases can be compressed before being encrypted. Compression reduces the size of the database, but also slows down the database saving/loading process a bit.

It is recommended to use the GZip compression option. This algorithm is very fast (you won't notice any difference to saving the database without compression) and its compression rate is acceptable.

It is not recommended to save databases without compression.

On modern PCs, saving files with compression can actually be faster than saving without compression, because the compression process is performed by the CPU (which is very fast) and fewer data has to be transferred from/to the storage device. Especially when the device is slow (like saving to USB stick), compression can reduce the saving/loading time significantly.

## Templates

Templates are a great way to predefine often used user names or additional fields, or combinations of each.

- A template is a normal KeePass entry with all required data already entered.
- Templates must be kept in a single group.
- Do not put real data entries in the template group.

First create a normal group in the main window and then set it as the templates group in 'File' → 'Database Settings' → tab 'Advanced'.

In order to create a new entry based on a template, click the drop-down arrow of the 'Add Entry' toolbar button and choose the template to be used.