How to Set the Automatic Lock Screen Timeout in Windows 10 and Windows 11

Configuring the automatic lock screen timeout is a helpful way to keep your device secure when it’s left unattended. Here’s a guide on how to adjust the lock screen timeout on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Steps to Set Lock Screen Timeout in Windows 10

  1. Click on “Start” and select “Settings” (the gear icon).

  2. Go to the “Personalization” section.

  3. From the left menu, choose “Lock screen”, then click on “Screen timeout settings”.

  4. Under the “Screen” section, set the time after which the screen will turn off. In the “Sleep” section, set the time for the device to go into sleep mode, if desired.

These settings allow you to control exactly when the device locks or goes to sleep due to inactivity.

Steps to Set Lock Screen Timeout in Windows 11

  1. Click “Start” and select “Settings”.

  2. On the left menu, choose “System”, then “Power & battery”.

  3. Under the “Screen and sleep” section, you can set the screen timeout and the sleep mode timing.

Setting the Timeout via Registry Editor (Advanced Users)

If you want more precise control over the timeout settings or if the “Lock screen” options aren’t available, you can use the Registry Editor:

  1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

  2. Navigate to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization.

  3. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named ScreenSaverTimeout and set its value in seconds (e.g., 600 for 10 minutes).

  4. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Note: Modifying the registry can affect system performance, so it’s recommended to back up the registry before making changes.