Password Vault The short answer
Password Vault has no function to recover a forgotten PIN or bypass the PIN of a locked vault. Neither your Microsoft 365 administrator nor Vitextra can recover it through the product. Resetting a blocked vault deletes its entries; changing the PIN in an already unlocked session is different, as explained below.
If the vault is still unlocked in an open session, use Configure → Change PIN before closing it or letting it lock. This screen accepts a new PIN without asking for the old one. After a successful save, the entries are preserved under the new PIN. The reset procedure below is for a locked vault that you can no longer unlock.
❗ Important
The setup screen warns about this when the PIN is created: It will be impossible to access the data if you forget your PIN code. A reset deletes all entries of your vault, on every page and in Microsoft Teams, and they cannot be restored by Password Vault.
Frequently asked questions
Can my administrator reset my PIN?
No. Password Vault has no administration functions for users' vaults: there is no setting in the web part, in the SharePoint admin center or on the Vitextra side that can reset, reveal or replace your PIN. The vault is a file in your own OneDrive, and the PIN is checked by the web part in your browser.
Can Vitextra support recover my passwords?
No. Your vault file is transferred only between your browser and your OneDrive. Vitextra does not receive a copy of your entries or of your PIN, so there is nothing that Vitextra could restore. See KB10452. How Password Vault Protects Your Data: Encryption, PIN and Storage.
How many attempts do I have?
Five wrong PINs in a row. While the vault is locked, Password Vault shows the Enter PIN prompt instead of the entries. After a wrong PIN it shows The PIN is incorrect and Attempts left with the remaining number.
Keep in mind:
- The counter is shared through the vault file in OneDrive only after a successful save. If reading the latest file fails, PIN verification uses the data already loaded. If saving a wrong attempt fails, its increase remains local to the open session and may be lost on reload.
- A saved counter does not expire or reset when you reload. Before the vault is blocked, a correct PIN opens it and attempts to save a zero counter. If that save fails, the saved counter remains unchanged even though the vault opens.
- Only a complete wrong 4-digit PIN uses up an attempt: the PIN is checked as soon as the fourth digit is typed. Leaving the page before that does not count.
Details: KB10455. Incorrect PIN Attempts in Password Vault: What Happens After Five Failed Tries.
💡 Tip
Don't spend the attempts on random guesses. Take a break, think of the 4-digit numbers you usually use, and try only the most likely ones. If you still have attempts left, you can stop at any time and come back later - the remaining attempts stay available.
What can I still see without the PIN?
Nothing. While the vault is locked, Password Vault shows only the Enter PIN prompt and the Refresh button - no entries, not even their names. The Name, User name, Password, URL, Notes, Folder and Tags of every entry are encrypted with a key derived from your PIN, so without the PIN they cannot be shown - not on a page and not in Microsoft Teams.
Before you decide to reset, write down from memory the names, user names and addresses of the accounts that you stored in the vault. After the reset you will need them to recover each account through its own password reset function (for example, a Forgot password? link on the sign-in page of the service) and to add the entries again.
❗ Important
Once the vault is blocked after the fifth wrong PIN, only the Reset screen is shown. A saved counter does not expire or reset when you reload. Before the vault is blocked, a correct PIN opens it and attempts to save a zero counter. If that save fails, the saved counter remains unchanged even though the vault opens.
How do I start over?
- Enter a wrong PIN until no attempts are left, or continue from the Reset screen if the vault is already blocked.
- On the Reset screen, which shows You've entered an incorrect PIN too many times., click Reset, and then confirm with Reset in the Confirmation dialog. All entries and the PIN are erased. This takes effect only after a successful save.
- On the Set up PIN screen, type a new 4-digit PIN and click Save. The vault is empty: There are no items in this list.
- Add your entries again with New Item, using new passwords obtained through the services' own password reset.
The procedure with screenshots is described in KB10461. Why Password Vault Is Blocked: "You've Entered an Incorrect PIN Too Many Times".
📝 Note
Password Vault has no command that resets the vault voluntarily: the Reset button is offered only after five wrong PINs in a row.
Is there a way to avoid losing my entries next time?
Yes:
- Note your PIN in a safe place that your organization allows - not on a sticker on your monitor and not in the Notes of an entry.
- Choose a PIN you will remember, and change it whenever you like with Configure → Change PIN; see KB10450. How to Change Your PIN in Password Vault. The current PIN is needed to unlock a locked vault; it is not requested again in an already unlocked session.
- Keep important credentials in another approved place as well, for example in your organization's password management system, so that a reset does not lock you out of critical systems.
- Use your vault regularly. A PIN you enter every day is much harder to forget than one you set up months ago.
💡 Tip
For the rules of the PIN and the first setup, see KB10442. How to Set Up Your PIN in Password Vault. For more questions about the product, see KB10439. Password Vault: Frequently Asked Questions.
