How To Keep Windows From Locking

Many users find the automatic locking feature in Windows 10 and Windows 11 to be a security benefit, yet others may find it inconvenient, especially if it requires frequent password entries. This guide will show you how to adjust or disable the automatic locking feature on both operating systems.

Disabling Sign-In Requirement After Sleep

Step-by-Step Guide to Adjust Sign-In Settings:

1. Open Settings: Click the Start Menu and select the gear icon to open Settings.
2. Navigate to Accounts: Select ‘Accounts’ from the settings menu.
3. Access Sign-in Options: Click on ‘Sign-in options’ in the left column.
4. Adjust Require Sign-in Setting: Set the ‘Require sign-in’ option to ‘Never’.

This adjustment prevents the system from requiring a password upon waking from sleep, although your device will still enter sleep mode based on your power settings.

Changing Screen Saver Settings

Modifying Screen Saver Behavior:

1. Access Screen Saver Settings: Use the search function in Settings to find ‘Lock screen’ settings, then click on ‘Screen saver settings’.
2. Deactivate Login Screen on Resume: In the Screen Saver settings, uncheck ‘On resume, display logon screen’ to prevent the login screen from appearing after the screensaver activates.

Optionally, you can disable the screensaver entirely by selecting ‘(None)’ in the screensaver drop-down menu.

Managing Auto-Lock via Power & Sleep Settings

Preventing Auto-Lock by Adjusting Sleep Settings:

1. Open Personalization Settings: Go to ‘Personalization’ within Windows Settings and select ‘Lock screen’.
2. Modify Screen Timeout: Click on ‘Screen timeout settings’ and set both ‘Screen’ and ‘Sleep’ settings to ‘Never’.

This prevents your computer from automatically locking by stopping it from going into sleep mode.

Adjusting System Unattended Sleep Timeout

Advanced Sleep Settings Adjustment:

1. Open Control Panel: Search for ‘Control Panel’ in the taskbar search and open it.
2. Modify Power Options: Go to ‘Hardware and Sound’, then ‘Power Options’. Click on ‘Change when the computer sleeps’ followed by ‘Change advanced power settings’.
3. Expand Sleep Settings: In the advanced settings, expand the ‘Sleep’ option, then adjust ‘Sleep after’ and ‘Hibernate after’ to a longer duration or ‘Never’.

This setting helps to manage how quickly your system goes into sleep mode after being left unattended.

Ensuring Dynamic Lock is Off

Checking Dynamic Lock Settings:

1. Access Sign-in Options Again: In Windows Settings, go to ‘Accounts’ and select ‘Sign-in options’.
2. Disable Dynamic Lock: Scroll down to ‘Dynamic lock’ and ensure the box is unchecked to prevent automatic locking when your paired device is out of Bluetooth range.

Additional Tips for Managing Lock Screen and Sign-In Requirements

• Group Policy Editor: For advanced users, using the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) can provide more control over various system behaviors, including screen locking and power management.
• Registry Tweaks: Modifying registry settings can also permanently disable the lock screen. This involves navigating to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows and adding a new DWORD value named ‘NoLockScreen’ set to 1.

Conclusion

Whether you’re using Windows 10 or Windows 11, managing or disabling the automatic lock feature can help tailor your PC experience to better suit your needs. While disabling these features can increase convenience, always consider the security implications, especially if you handle sensitive information. Remember, if you need to leave your PC unattended for any reason, you can quickly lock your screen manually by pressing Windows key + L.