Microsoft today announced OneDrive Personal Vault, a new security layer on top of its OneDrive online file storage service that adds additional security features to keep your files save.
The security features ensure that the only way to access these files is with a strong authentication method or two-step verification, which can include a fingerprint or face recognition with a Window Hello-compatible device, PIN code or a one-time code sent by email or SMS (which is not necessarily the most secure method, of course), or by using Microsoft Authenticator.
In addition, Microsoft is also doubling the storage plan for its $1.99/month standalone OneDrive subscription from 50GB to 100GB. If you’re on a free plan, you will be able to try Personal Vault, too, but Microsoft will limit the number of files you can store in it.
The new Personal Vault will be available to OneDrive users on the web, on Windows 10 and through Microsoft’s mobile apps. It will roll out to users in Australia, New Zealand and Canada soon and become available to all OneDrive users by the end of the year.
By default, all OneDrive files are already encrypted at rest and in transit. Personal Vault essentially adds another layer of optional security features on top of this.
In that OneDrive app, this is represented by a special Personal Vault folder that you can then use to save your most important files — or those with the largest amount of sensitive information (think financial records etc.).
On Windows 10 PCs, Personal Vault also sets up a Bitlocker-encrypted area on your local hard drive to sync your Personal Vault files.
