# Unlock and lock your Vault

Unlock your Vault with your Vault Pass, lock it when you are done, and choose when it locks itself after inactivity or when you leave the tab.

Updated: 2026-10-19  
Source: https://drime.cloud/support/vault/unlock-and-lock

Your Vault opens only with your Vault Pass. Once unlocked, it stays open in that browser tab until you lock it, it locks itself, or you close the tab.

## Unlock your Vault

1. In the left rail, click **Vault**.

   The unlock screen shows the name of the vault (**My Vault** unless you renamed it) and the message **Enter your Vault Pass to continue and unlock your content.**

2. In **Vault Pass**, type your Vault Pass.

3. Click **Unlock content**.

   ![The unlock screen of My Vault, with the Vault Pass field and the Unlock content button](https://drime.cloud/media/01M59FNCV7D1MB12AN7YQQ6SQG/ddf4b385153f-web-vault-unlock.png)

If the Vault Pass is refused, see [If it doesn't work](#problems).

In Drime Desktop for Windows and in the Drime mobile apps, you unlock your Vault with the same Vault Pass. See [Vault on your computer and phone](https://drime.cloud/support/vault/vault-on-desktop-and-mobile).

## How long it stays unlocked

The Vault stays unlocked in the tab where you opened it. Reloading the page does not ask for the Vault Pass again. It locks when:

- you lock it yourself;
- it locks itself after a period of inactivity (15 minutes by default);
- you close the tab, sign out, switch to another workspace or leave the Vault.

The web app has no option to keep a vault unlocked on a device.

## Lock your Vault now

- In the Vault toolbar, click the lock button (**Lock vault**).
- Or click the vault title, at the top of the sidebar, to open the list of your vaults, then click **Lock**. With several vaults, **Lock all vaults** locks them all at once.

The list shows each vault as **Locked** or **Unlocked**. When a vault locks, its decrypted thumbnails, file details and search index are cleared from your browser's memory.

## Choose when it locks itself

1. In the Vault toolbar, click the gear button (**Vault settings**).

   It opens **Settings** \> **Vault**. You can also click your avatar at the top right, then **Settings** \> **Vault**. The palette button in the list of your vaults has the same tooltip, but it only changes the name and colour of a vault.

2. In **Vault security**, choose a delay in **Auto-lock**.

   ![Settings, Vault, with the Vault security section: Auto-lock and Lock when leaving the tab](https://drime.cloud/media/01M5A9WM6RK9SVSTH4HEGBGZF4/aa82a038c6d2-web-settings-vault-security.png)

   The choices are **Never**, **After 1 minute**, **After 5 minutes**, **After 15 minutes**, **After 30 minutes** and **After 1 hour**.

   Auto-lock locks every open vault.

3. If you want, turn on **Lock when leaving the tab**.

   The Vault then locks as soon as you switch to another tab or minimize the window. This option is off by default.

When auto-lock is triggered, the message **Vault locked after inactivity** appears.

> **Note**
>
> These settings apply only to the browser where you choose them. Set them again on your other computers and browsers.

## Several vaults

Each vault has its own Vault Pass and is unlocked separately. Unlocking one does not unlock the others.

## If it doesn't work

| What you see | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| **Invalid password** | The Vault Pass is wrong. Type it again, and check that you are using the Vault Pass, not your account password. With several vaults, check that you are unlocking the right one. If you cannot find it, see [I forgot my Vault Pass](https://drime.cloud/support/vault/forgot-your-vault-pass). |
| **Failed to unlock vault. Please try again.** | The Vault could not be unlocked, for a reason other than the Vault Pass. Check your connection, then click **Unlock content** again. |
| **Vault locked after inactivity** | Auto-lock locked the Vault. Unlock it again, or choose a longer delay in [Auto-lock](#auto-lock). |
| The Vault locks every time you switch tabs | **Lock when leaving the tab** is on. Turn it off in **Settings** \> **Vault** \> **Vault security**. |
| Your auto-lock choice is gone on another computer | These settings are kept in each browser. Set them again there. |

## Next steps

- [Add, open and manage files in your Vault](https://drime.cloud/support/vault/manage-vault-files)
- [Vault on your computer and phone](https://drime.cloud/support/vault/vault-on-desktop-and-mobile)
- [I forgot my Vault Pass](https://drime.cloud/support/vault/forgot-your-vault-pass)