A Desktop GUI for Pass That Handles TOTP and Smartcards Without Extra Extensions
If you're using pass — the standard Unix password manager — you've probably gotten comfortable with the terminal. But there are moments when a graphical interface just makes more sense, especially when you're managing OTP codes or dealing with smartcards. QtPass is a cross-platform GUI for pass that aims to give you that convenience without asking you to abandon the underlying tool.
What It Does
QtPass is a multi-platform graphical frontend for pass, the Unix password store. Instead of wrapping passwords in its own proprietary format, it works directly with your existing pass or git and gpg2 setup. That means your passwords stay in the same encrypted store you already trust — QtPass just gives you a window into it.
It runs on Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows, and uses native widgets and iconography where possible so it doesn't feel out of place on your desktop. The app is available in over 60 languages. Under the hood it's built with Qt, which is where the name comes from, and it's designed to work with your existing GnuPG configuration rather than replacing it.
Why It's Cool
Built-in TOTP support is a big deal. Most password manager GUIs make you install a separate extension or plugin to handle one-time passwords. QtPass has this baked in, so you don't need to hunt down additional tooling just to get your 2FA codes alongside your passwords.
Smartcard and USB token support. OpenPGP smartcards and YubiKeys are supported directly. If you're already using hardware-backed keys for GPG, this means you can keep that workflow intact and still get a GUI — no need to fall back to the command line every time.
Per-folder recipient selection. If you share password stores with different people or use multiple GPG keys, you can assign different recipients per folder. This makes multi-recipient encryption manageable without manually editing .gpg-id files.
Multiple profiles. You're not locked into a single password store. Profiles let you switch between different stores — useful if you separate work and personal credentials, for example.
Git integration. Since pass stores are often git repositories, QtPass surfaces version control directly. You can commit and sync changes without dropping to a terminal.
Practical extras that show someone actually uses this. The configurable shoulder surfing protection, the process output panel with color-coded errors and auto-scroll, the ability to import GPG keys from a file or clipboard without leaving the app — these are the kinds of details that come from real usage, not feature checklists.
Search across decrypted entries. It's opt-in (which is the right call for a security tool), but when enabled you can search your password store with regular expressions. That's more powerful than the typical substring search you get in most GUIs.
How to Try It
Installation is straightforward if you're on a package-managed system:
On Debian, Ubuntu, or derivatives like Mint, Kali, and Raspbian:
apt-get install qtpass
On Fedora:
dnf install qtpass
On Arch Linux:
pacman -S qtpass
On FreeBSD:
pkg install qtpass
On OpenBSD:
pkg_add qtpass
There are also packages for OpenSUSE, Gentoo, and Sabayon. For macOS, you can download the .dmg from the releases page — though you'll need to clear the quarantine flag with xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/QtPass.app since the Homebrew cask was disabled.
The project site at qtpass.org has a downloads page with current versions per platform, plus a getting-started guide for first-time GnuPG and pass setup. If you want to dig into how profiles, templates, OTP, and Git sync work, there's an advanced section there too.
You'll find the source and releases at github.com/IJHack/QtPass.
Final Thoughts
QtPass is a solid choice if you're already invested in the pass ecosystem and want a GUI that respects your existing setup rather than trying to replace it. The built-in TOTP and smartcard support make it stand out from generic password manager frontends, and the attention to things like per-folder recipients and configurable shoulder surfing protection suggests it's built by people who actually use it daily. If you're comfortable in the terminal, you might not need it — but if you've been looking for a way to bring pass into a more visual workflow without sacrificing your GPG setup, this is worth a look.
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