3 Ways to Turn off Auto-Lock in Windows

Quick Tips

• Go to Power Options in the Control Panel, select Change Power Plan, and select Never for both turn-off display and sleep timeout.
• You can also go to Settings > Power and Battery and select Never for all the auto-lock options.
• Alternatively, you can use the command prompt to prevent the screen from turning off – both on power and battery.

Method 1: Turn Off Auto Lock Using Power and Sleep Settings

Here’s how you can modify your power and sleep settings on your Windows PC, and turn off auto lock.

Step 1: Open the Control Panel on your PC. Go to System and Security.

Step 2: Tap on Power Options.

Step 3: Next to the plan that is selected, click on Change plan settings.

Step 4: Use the dropdown menus, and select Never to make sure your PC doesn’t turn off the screen/go to sleep on battery or when plugged in.

Tap on Save Changes to confirm.

Also Read: How to close your laptop and use external monitor on Windows

Method 2: Turn Off Auto Lock Using Settings App

Here’s how you can disable sleep and screen time out using the Settings app.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your PC. Click on System in the sidebar, and go to Power & battery.

Step 2: Click on Screen and Sleep.

Step 4: Use the dropdown menus, and select Never to make sure your PC doesn’t turn off the screen/go to sleep on battery or when plugged in.

Method 3: Turn Off Auto Lock Using Command Prompt

Command Prompt is just like a Swiss army knife – has all the tools up its sleeve to automate tasks, or change settings on your PC. Here’s how you can run a command to turn off auto lock on your Windows PC.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt on your Windows PC.

Step 2: Enter the following commands in the window, and hit the enter key to change the relevant settings :

• Prevent Screen From Turning Off While Plugged In
  • powercfg /change monitor-timeout-ac 0
• Prevent Screen From Turning Off on Battery
  • powercfg /change monitor-timeout-dc 0
• Disable Your PC From Automatically Going to Sleep While Plugged In
  • powercfg /change standby-timeout-ac 0
• Disable Your PC From Automatically Going to Sleep on Battery
  • powercfg /change standby-timeout-dc 0

How to Avoid Signing In Every Time Your PC Goes to Sleep

What if you’re okay with your PC going to sleep automatically, but don’t want to sign in and enter the password if you’re away for a short time? You can disable the requirement to sign in every time, here’s how :

Step 1: Open the Settings app. Click on Accounts in the sidebar, and select Sign-in options.

Step 2: You will have to disable all the Windows Hello options to sign in. Click on Facial/Fingerprint recognition and click on Remove.

If you don’t have Windows Hello configured, move to the next step.

Step 3: Click on the drop-down menu option next to the If you’ve been away, when should…. option.

Step 4: You can select a time interval. For example, if your PC has been put to sleep when you were away, and if you’re back after the selected interval – you will not have to enter your credentials and sign in.

Or, you can select Never.