How to Stop Windows From Automatically Locking Itself

Both Windows 10 and 11 automatically lock the screen after a period of inactivity to protect your data and prevent unauthorized access. However, if you prefer to keep your PC accessible without constant sign-ins, there are ways to disable the automatic lock feature on Windows.

1. Modify Sign-In Options

Disabling Windows' sign-in requirement is an effective way to prevent it from locking itself due to inactivity. Additionally, you'll also need to disable the Dynamic Lock feature, which automatically locks your PC when a connected Bluetooth device, such as your smartphone, goes out of range. Here's how to do both:

1. Press Win + I to open the Settings app and head to Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Under the Additional settings section, select Never from the dropdown menu.
3. In the same menu, disable the Dynamic lock feature by unchecking the Allow Windows to automatically lock your device when you're away option.

2. Disable Sleep Mode and Screen Saver

By default, Windows automatically locks itself when it enters sleep mode. To prevent this, you can stop Windows from entering sleep mode automatically upon inactivity. This way, it won't lock by itself.

To disable sleep mode on Windows, follow these steps:

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1. Open the Settings app and head to System > Power & battery.
2. Click on Screen and sleep to expand it.
3. Click the dropdown menus next to "On battery power, put my device to sleep after" and "When plugged in, put my device to sleep after" and select Never.

It's also a good idea to disable screen saver mode, as it can sometimes cause Windows to lock itself automatically. Here's how to do that:

1. Press Win + S to bring up Windows Search.
2. Type in Turn screen saver on or off and select the first result that appears.
3. In the Screen Saver Settings window, set Screen saver to None and uncheck On resume, display the logon screen.

3. Edit the Windows Registry

Another way to stop Windows from automatically locking itself involves editing a few registry files. However, it's important to understand that editing the Windows Registry can be risky. So, only use this method if the others don't work.

Even if you are familiar with modifying registry files, make sure you back up all the registry files or create a restore point beforehand, just in case.

1. Click the search icon on the taskbar, type in registry editor, and select Run as administrator.
2. In the Registry Editor window, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software > Policies > Microsoft from the left pane.
3. Right-click on Windows and select New > Key. Name the new key "DisableAutoLock".
4. Right-click on the newly created key, go to New, and select DWORD (32-bit) Value. Change the name of this new DWORD to "NoLockScreen".
5. Open NoLockScreen and set the Value data to 1. Click OK and restart your computer to apply the changes.

Unlocking your PC is incredibly convenient if it supports Windows Hello, whether that's via facial recognition or fingerprint scanning. However, if your computer lacks these features, you can prevent your Windows 10 or 11 PC from locking automatically using any of the above methods.