Windows 10 has no single “lock screen timeout” control. The screen saver wait period, the ordinary idle display timer, the sleep timer, and the display-off delay after you lock the PC are separate settings. If your monitor turns off about a minute after you press Windows + L, change the locked-screen value with powercfg; changing the usual “turn off my display” setting will not affect it. Microsoft documents 60 seconds as the default locked-screen delay.
Use the section that matches what you are seeing. The distinction matters because each control has a different purpose and, on portable PCs, separate battery and plugged-in values.
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Identify which timeout you actually want
Before changing anything, reproduce the behavior and note the computer’s state. Was Windows unlocked and idle, or had you explicitly locked it? Did a screen saver appear, or did the display simply go black? This table maps the symptom to the correct control.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors| What happens | Setting that controls it | Where to change it |
|---|---|---|
| A screen saver starts after inactivity | Screen saver Wait | Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Related settings > Screen saver |
| An unlocked PC turns off its display while idle | Ordinary display timeout | Start > Settings > System > Power & sleep |
| An unlocked PC enters sleep | Sleep timer | Start > Settings > System > Power & sleep |
| The display turns off shortly after you lock Windows | Console Lock Display Off Timeout (the VIDEOCONLOCK power value) |
Administrative Command Prompt, or the advanced power-plan dialog after revealing the hidden setting |
| You want a different lock-screen picture or status information | Lock-screen personalization | Settings > Personalization > Lock screen |
The screen saver and locked-screen display timers can both involve a sign-in screen, but they are not interchangeable. A screen saver may be configured to request sign-in when it ends; that option does not change how long the display stays lit after you lock the computer.
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Change the screen saver wait time
Use these steps when your goal is to delay or speed up the point at which a chosen screen saver begins on an idle, unlocked desktop.
- Open Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
- Scroll to Related settings and select Screen saver.
- Choose a screen saver from the list. Select (None) if you do not want one to start.
- Set Wait to the number of idle minutes you want.
- Optionally select On resume, display logon screen if Windows should require sign-in when the screen saver ends.
- Select Apply, then OK.
This changes only when the screen saver launches. It does not alter the dedicated display-off delay that begins after the workstation is locked with Windows + L.
Change ordinary display-off and sleep timers
For normal idle behavior before you lock the PC, use Windows’ power settings.
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- Open Start > Settings > System > Power & sleep.
- Under Screen, choose how long Windows should wait before turning off the display.
- Under Sleep, choose how long Windows should wait before entering sleep.
- If your device shows separate battery and plugged-in choices, set each one independently.
Portable computers commonly expose one value for battery (DC) operation and another for an AC adapter (plugged-in) operation. A setting that works while charging may therefore appear not to work when you unplug the computer. These controls reduce display-on time and sleep the unlocked computer; they do not control the locked-screen display-off value.
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Change the display timeout after Windows is locked
Microsoft calls this setting Console Lock Display Off Timeout. It governs the period of inactivity after the session is locked and before Windows powers off the display. Microsoft’s documented default is 60 seconds, and the ordinary “Choose when to turn off the display” control does not change it.
Option 1: Set the value with an administrative Command Prompt
This is the direct, documented method. The value is entered in seconds and applies to the currently selected power scheme.
- Open Start and type Command Prompt.
- Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator. Approve the User Account Control prompt.
- For a plugged-in (AC) timeout, enter the following command, replacing the placeholder with the desired number of seconds:
powercfg.exe /setacvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_VIDEO VIDEOCONLOCK <time in seconds>- Press Enter. Activate the scheme so Windows uses the new value:
powercfg.exe /setactive SCHEME_CURRENTFor battery operation, use the DC command instead of the AC command:
powercfg.exe /setdcvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_VIDEO VIDEOCONLOCK <time in seconds>After setting the DC value, run the same /setactive command. If you want identical behavior on battery and AC power, configure both values separately. For example, a 10-minute delay is entered as 600 seconds for each power condition. Lock the PC with Windows + L and wait through the new interval to verify the result.
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Why the command uses VIDEOCONLOCK
Windows stores several video timers in the same power-plan subsystem. VIDEOIDLE is the ordinary unlocked display-idle value; VIDEOCONLOCK is specifically the locked-screen value. Changing the wrong one can appear to do nothing because it affects a different state.
Option 2: Reveal the hidden setting in Advanced power options
Windows hides the console-lock control in the graphical interface by default. Microsoft documents making it visible with an administrative Command Prompt.
- Open an elevated Command Prompt as described above.
- Run:
powercfg.exe -attributes SUB_VIDEO 8EC4B3A5-6868-48c2-BE75-4F3044BE88A7 -ATTRIB_HIDE- Open the active power plan’s advanced settings. In Control Panel, open Power Options, select Change plan settings for the active plan, then select Change advanced power settings.
- Expand Display, select Console Lock Display Off Timeout, and set the value for the relevant power condition. Set both AC and DC entries if you want matching behavior.
- Select Apply, then OK.
If you want to hide the entry again after editing, run this administrative command:
powercfg.exe -attributes SUB_VIDEO 8EC4B3A5-6868-48c2-BE75-4F3044BE88A7 +ATTRIB_HIDEHiding the entry does not undo the value you set; it only removes that control from the advanced-settings list.
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Choose the right value for your situation
The best interval depends on whether you are protecting a shared workstation, presenting from a laptop, or trying to reduce battery use.
- Short locked-screen delay: useful in a public or shared area where a locked monitor should go dark quickly.
- Longer locked-screen delay: useful when you lock the PC briefly but still need to see status information without waking the display.
- Different AC and DC values: keeps the screen available longer at a desk while conserving battery when unplugged.
- Screen saver plus sign-in: use the screen saver’s On resume, display logon screen option when you specifically want a visual idle screen followed by authentication.
Do not use the screen-saver timer as a substitute for a locked-screen security policy. The screen saver starts from an idle desktop; the console-lock timer starts after Windows is already locked.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a timeout that appears unchanged
The display still turns off after about a minute
Confirm that you changed VIDEOCONLOCK, not the ordinary display value. Then check whether you edited the power condition currently in use: the AC value applies when plugged in, while the DC value applies on battery. Run the command for the applicable condition and activate the scheme again with powercfg.exe /setactive SCHEME_CURRENT.
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The screen saver starts at the “wrong” time
Adjust Wait in the Screen Saver Settings dialog. The Power & sleep screen timer cannot change that wait period, and changing VIDEOCONLOCK cannot change it either.
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The screen turns off while the PC is unlocked
Return to Settings > System > Power & sleep and inspect the Screen value for the current battery or plugged-in state. If the computer also enters sleep, inspect the separate Sleep value.
The Console Lock option is missing
That is expected in a default Windows interface. Run Microsoft’s powercfg.exe -attributes ... -ATTRIB_HIDE command exactly as shown above from an elevated Command Prompt, then reopen the advanced power-plan dialog. The command-line method remains available even if you decide not to expose the graphical control.
You expected a lock-screen background or widgets change
Timeout settings do not control the picture, slideshow, Windows Spotlight, or status information shown on the lock screen. Those choices remain under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen.
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| Setting | Starts from | Primary result | Sign-in option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen saver Wait | Idle, unlocked desktop | Starts the selected screen saver | Yes, via On resume, display logon screen |
| Screen timeout in Power & sleep | Idle, unlocked desktop | Turns off the display | Not a screen-saver sign-in control |
| Sleep timeout | Idle, unlocked desktop | Puts Windows to sleep | Separate from display-off timing |
| Console Lock Display Off Timeout | Locked Windows session | Turns off the display after lock inactivity | The session is already locked |
Keeping these controls separate makes troubleshooting predictable: first identify the state in which the display changes, then edit the timer assigned to that state and power condition.
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