Windows 11 has a handy feature called ‘Personal Vault’ to protect your confidential files and media. It backs up important data to the OneDrive cloud service and is available for use from the File Explorer menu. The system syncs your files with your OneDrive account, making them accessible across all your devices. Here’s how you can set up and use Personal Vault in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11 has tight OneDrive integration, and Personal Vault is part of Microsoft’s cloud storage service. You can access Personal Vault from the File Explorer menu or use the OneDrive shortcut on the taskbar to peek through your secret files.
What is Personal Vault on Windows 11
As the name suggests, Personal Vault is your private folder in OneDrive to store and sync your important files. So how is it different from the standard password protected files and folders in Windows 11? Unlike your local folder, Personal Vault synchronizes all your uploaded files with the OneDrive platform, making it available across all your smart devices.
Whether you use OneDrive on your mobile device, Mac, or Chromebook, you can easily access and download files from your Personal Vault. Let’s set it up and test it in action.
Open your Personal Vault on Windows
As mentioned earlier, there are several ways to access Personal Vault on Windows.
Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open the File Explorer menu.
Step 2: Select OneDrive from the left navigation panel.
Step 3: 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 face or fingerprint unlock to complete the authentication process.
Step 4: If you don’t have Windows Hello function, enter your computer’s Microsoft account PIN or password to access Private Vault.
Step 5: File Explorer will open a new window with Private Vault files.
You can also access the same from OneDrive on the taskbar.
Step 1: Click the OneDrive icon on the taskbar.
Step 2: Select the Settings gear in the upper-right corner of the pop-up window.
Step 3: Select ‘Unlike Personal Vault’, verify your identity and access it.
If you don’t see the OneDrive icon in the system tray, enable it from the Settings app.
Step 1: Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to launch the Settings app.
Step 2: Select Personalization from the left sidebar.
Step 3: Click on the Taskbar from the right pane.
Step 4: Expand the ‘More system tray icons’ menu.
Step 5: Turn on the switch for Microsoft OneDrive from the following menu.
Synchronize items in Personal Vault
You can use the steps above to open Personal Vault on Windows. Now it’s time to move the important files into it.
Step 1: Press the Windows + E keyboard shortcut to open the File Explorer application.
Step 2: Select the relevant files and copy or cut them.
Step 3: Open the Private Vault (refer to the steps above) and paste the files in there.
You will need an active internet connection to sync Private Vault files with the OneDrive platform. You will notice a green check mark next to the uploaded files.
Lock Personal Vault on Windows 11
After you upload private files to Personal Vault, you’ll need to lock it to prevent unauthorized access. The system keeps the Personal Vault open for a while.
Step 1: Open OneDrive from the taskbar.
Step 2: Select ‘Lock Personal Vault’ and you’re good to go.
Check out personal archive
Personal Vault is part of OneDrive. You need enough OneDrive storage to sync your personal files across all your devices. You can’t simply add hundreds of videos and files to your Personal Vault.
Step 1: Press the Windows + E keyboard shortcut to open the File Explorer menu.
Step 2: Click on the OneDrive icon in the top right corner and check the detailed storage analysis.
If you’re running low on OneDrive storage, sign up for one of the Microsoft 365 plans to get 1 TB of space.
Disable Personal Vault on Windows 11/10
If you don’t want to deal with OneDrive Personal Vault, use the OneDrive web to turn it off for your account.
Step 1: Go to OneDrive on the web and sign in with your Microsoft account details.
Step 2: Select the Settings icon in the upper right corner.
Step 3: Open ‘Preferences’.
Step 4: Select ‘Personal Vault’ from the left sidebar.
Step 5: Select Disable and confirm your decision.
Hide your secret files on Windows
Personal Vault is a great Microsoft add-on to keep your private files away from prying eyes. How do you plan to use Personal Vault on Windows? Share your preferences in the comments below.
Categories: How to
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