- You can keep your Personal Vault unlocked for a maximum of 4 hours.
- Personal Vault can be disabled from OneDrive Online settings.
- You will need to authenticate every time you unlock the Personal vault.
What Is Personal Vault in Windows 11?
As the name suggests, Personal Vault is your private folder in OneDrive, which is password-protected and syncs across devices. You can also keep it open for a few minutes to hours, after which it will be automatically locked. When you set it up for the first time, you must verify your account by logging into your Microsoft account or using the Authenticator app.
How to Open Personal Vault on Windows
Step 1: Press the Windows + E keys shortcut to open File Explorer and select OneDrive from the left navigation panel.
Step 2: Double-click the Personal Vault icon and confirm your identity using the default Windows authentication method. If you have a Windows Hello-compatible laptop, use the face unlock or fingerprint to complete the authentication. If you don’t have a Windows Hello function, enter your computer’s PIN or Microsoft account password to access the Private Vault.
Step 5: File Explorer will open a new window with Private Vault files.
Another way to access Personal Vault is from the Taskbar or system tray.
Step 1: Click the OneDrive icon in the system tray and select the Settings gear at the top right of the fly-out menu.
Step 2: Select Unlock Personal Vault and verify your identity to access it.
Note: If you don’t see the OneDrive icon in the system tray, enable it from the Settings app.
How to Move Items in Personal Vault
Step 1: Press the Windows + E keys shortcut to open the File Explorer app.
Step 2: Right-click on the file or folder and select copy or cut .
Step 3: Open Private Vault (refer to the steps above) and paste the files.
How to Lock Personal Vault on Windows 11
Step 1: Open OneDrive from the taskbar.
Step 2: Select Lock Personal Vault , and you are ready.
How to Disable Personal Vault on Windows 11/10
Step 1: Visit OneDrive online and sign in with your Microsoft account details.
Step 2: Select the Settings gear at the top right.
Step 3: Click on Options under the OneDrive settings section.
Step 4: Select Personal Vault from the left sidebar, click Disable , and confirm your decision.
