One of the built-in security features of Windows 11 is that if you don’t use your computer for some time (10 minutes by default), it will auto lock itself. This auto-locking functionality prevents unauthorized access to your computer and its contents. However, what if you don’t want Windows 11 to auto lock due to inactivity? For example, maybe you are giving a presentation, configuring the machine as a kiosk, you are the only one using your computer and don’t want to type the password multiple times a day, etc. Whatever the reason, if you want to, you can stop Windows 11 from auto locking itself quite easily.
So, in this tutorial, let me show you how to turn off the auto lock in Windows 11 using the Settings app.
Turn Off Auto Lock in Windows 11 Using Settings
- Press the Start button.
- Search and open “Settings“.
- Navigate to the “Personalization” tab on the sidebar.
- Click the “Lock screen” option.
- Click the “Screen saver” option under the “Related Settings” section.
- Uncheck the “On resume, display logon screen” checkbox.
- Click “OK“.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
Search for “Settings” in the Start menu and click the top result to open the Settings window. You can also press the “Windows key + I” shortcut if you prefer an easier method to launch Settings.
Once it opens, go to the “Personalization” tab on the sidebar and click the “Lock screen” option on the right page. This page contains all the settings to configure your lock screen behavior.
On the “Lock screen” page, click the “Screen saver” option under the “Related settings” section at the bottom of the right page.
The above action opens the “Screen saver” dialog which allows you to manage Windows 11 screen saver settings. Here, uncheck the “On resume, display logon screen” checkbox and click the “OK” button to save changes.
That is it. With that, you’ve disabled auto lock in Windows 11. That being said, you can still manually lock Windows whenever you want.
Important note: If you’ve enabled Dynamic Lock, you need to disable it if you don’t want your computer to auto lock when you are away. Follow these steps to disable Dynamic Lock in Windows 11.
Wrapping Up — Disabling Auto Lock in Windows 11
As you can see, while it doesn’t look like it, you need to modify the screen saver settings to disable auto lock in Windows 11. Thankfully, the entire process is pretty simple and straightforward. Do keep in mind that, if you are using Dynamic Lock then your computer will lock automatically if you go away from your computer. If you don’t want that happening, as instructed, disable Dynamic Lock.
If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist. If you are using Windows 10, follow this guide instead—turn off auto lock in Windows 10.
