This tutorial shows how to disable and remove the personal vault folder in OneDrive if you are not using it and find it distracting.
If you are a regular OneDrive user, you might see a new folder called “Personal Vault” in OneDrive. As the name implies, it is a secure vault folder and required an additional password or authentication to open it. If you are not using it or don’t want to use it, follow the below-provided steps to disable the OneDrive personal vault and remove the personal vault folder in OneDrive
Table of contents:
- What is Personal Vault in OneDrive?
- Downsides of Personal Vault
- How to disable or remove OneDrive Personal Vault
What is OneDrive Personal Vault
For starters, Personal Vault is a protected folder with strong encryption and requires a second identification step after logging into your OneDrive account. The Personal Vault feature is intended to provide an additional layer of security to protect your important files like the driver’s license, photos, financial documents, and more. For example, if your OneDrive account is compromised for any reason, the attacks cannot access the data inside the personal value without additional verification.
Overall, Personal Vault is a more secure and protective way to store your most important files in OneDrive, and it provides added peace of mind that your sensitive information is safe.
Downsides of OneDrive Personal Vault
As useful as the OneDrive Personal Vault feature is, there are a few downsides to it. These include but are not limited to the following:
Limited storage for free users: If you are not paying for OneDrive or Microsoft 365, your Personal Vault is limited to three files in addition to the regular storage size limit.
Files in Personal Vault cannot be shared: One of the key benefits of using OneDrive is sharing files with others easily. However, files in Personal Vault cannot be shared with other users, limiting their utility and flexibility.
Additional authentication required: Personal Vault requires an additional level of authentication before you can access your files. This added security can be helpful, but it may also be inconvenient if you need to access your files quickly or frequently.
Overall, there are a variety of reasons to disable Personal Vault in OneDrive, including convenience, storage space limitations, and the inability to share files.
How to Disable OneDrive Personal Vault
Follow the steps below to disable Personal Vault and remove it from OneDrive.
- Back up all the files in Personal Vault.
- Delete files from Personal Vault.
- Go to the OneDrive Personal Vault webpage.
- Click the “Verify your identity” button.
- Log in to your Microsoft account.
- Click the “Disable” link.
- Press the “Disable” button.
- Click “Disable” again.
- With that, you’ve disabled Personal Vault in OneDrive.
- Close the webpage.
OneDrive Personal Vault URL: https://onedrive.live.com/?v=ManageVault
Steps with more details:
First, follow the below link and log into your OneDrive account.
Note: You can also search for OneDrive in your favorite search engine and open it from there.
After logging in, click the “Settings” icon on the top right corner and click the “Options” link.
Next, click the “Personal Vault” option on the sidebar. You can get to this same page by following the below link.
https://onedrive.live.com/?v=ManageVault
Here, press the “Verify your identity” button. This opens the authentication window. Verify yourself and proceed to the next step.
Now, press the “Disable” link next to the “Disable Personal Vault” option.
When prompted, press the “Disable” button.
OneDrive might show another “Are you sure?” prompt. Press the “Disable” button.
That is it. With that, you’ve disabled Personal Vault in OneDrive. The Personal Vault folder in OneDrive is also removed, and you will no longer see it.
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That is all. It is that simple to disable Personal Vault in OneDrive.
I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.
