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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTo make a Windows 11 PC lock after inactivity, choose when its screen turns off or the PC goes to sleep, then set Windows to require sign-in when it wakes. These are separate settings: a dark screen does not necessarily mean the PC is asleep or locked.
What “auto lock” means in Windows 11
Windows handles three related actions independently:
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- Turn off the screen: The display goes dark after inactivity; the PC may remain awake.
- Put the PC to sleep: The computer enters a low-power state and can resume more quickly than after a full shutdown. See Microsoft’s sleep and shutdown guidance.
- Require sign-in on wake: Windows asks for credentials when you return, if that sign-in requirement is enabled.
For an automatic lock, configure the first or second action to happen after inactivity and enable the third. Microsoft says the screen alone can be put to sleep to activate the lock when sign-in is required; putting the PC to sleep too can save electricity. Microsoft’s device security guidance describes this setup.
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Set the screen-off and sleep timers
- Open Settings with Windows key + I, or select Start > Settings. Microsoft also explains the Settings app in Exploring Windows Settings.
- Select System > Power & battery > Screen, sleep, & hibernate timeouts.
- Choose a value for Turn my screen off after. Set Make my device sleep after too if you want the PC itself to sleep after inactivity.
- Review the options for both On battery and When plugged in, where shown. They can be set to different intervals.
Microsoft’s current Windows 11 power-settings page publishes different default timers by device design and power state. For example, its listed modern standby defaults are 3 minutes on battery and 5 minutes when plugged in for both screen-off and sleep. For S3 devices, the listed screen-off defaults are 3 minutes on battery and 5 minutes plugged in; sleep defaults are 10 and 15 minutes, respectively. These are published defaults for the device classes in Microsoft’s table, not a guarantee that every PC will show those values.
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Require sign-in when you return
- Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
- Under the sign-in requirement setting, choose for Windows to require sign-in when waking from sleep. The available wording or choices can vary by Windows update and device.
- After the selected screen-off or sleep interval passes, wake the PC and check that Windows asks you to sign in.
The check in the last step is a way to confirm your own configuration; it does not guarantee the same behavior on every device or under every organization’s policies.
Choose an interval that fits your use
Microsoft’s security guidance says 10 or 15 minutes is usually a good interval for putting a device to sleep, while leaving the choice to the user. Treat that as general guidance, not a required security setting. Your screen-off timer can be shorter than your sleep timer if you want the display to go dark while keeping the PC available for longer.
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Screen-off and sleep serve different needs. A screen-off timer can reduce display power use while leaving the PC awake. Sleep uses little power and resumes faster than a full shutdown, according to Microsoft’s sleep guidance. Pick based on whether the PC needs to keep working while you are away, how quickly you want to resume, and your battery or energy priorities.
Optional: use a screen saver
A screen saver is a separate option, not a replacement for the power timers or sign-in requirement. To configure one, open Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Screen saver, set Wait to the idle time you want, and, if desired, select On resume, display logon screen. Microsoft’s screen saver instructions cover this control. Microsoft recommends putting the display to sleep on modern systems for energy savings.
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Optional: use Presence Sensing
Some Windows 11 devices support Presence Sensing, which can turn off the screen when you leave. If your device offers it, review Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep and the available presence-sensing options. Depending on the hardware, controls may include how far away counts as leaving, a delay before the screen turns off, and behavior when an external display is connected. See Microsoft’s Presence Sensing settings guidance. If those controls are absent, your device may not support the feature.
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