Where the automatic lock comes from

On Windows 10 and 11, the session can lock automatically for several reasons:

  • The screen turns off or the PC sleeps, and Windows asks you to sign in again when you come back.
  • The screen saver starts with the option “On resume, display logon screen”.
  • Dynamic Lock locks the PC when a paired phone moves away.
  • A company policy (group policy or device management) locks the session after a set inactivity time.

Adjust the settings on your own PC

Sign-in after sleep

Open Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options. Under “If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again?”, choose the option you want. Then increase the screen and sleep delays in Settings → System → Power & battery.

Screen saver

Search for “screen saver” in the Start menu, open Change screen saver and either set it to “(None)” or untick On resume, display logon screen.

Dynamic Lock

In Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options → Dynamic lock, untick the option if your PC locks when your phone is not nearby.

When you cannot change these settings

On a work or school PC, these options are often greyed out. Two cases:

  • If the lock is triggered by inactivity, simulated activity prevents it: that is exactly what a mouse jiggler does. Mouse Jiggler needs no administrator rights and can work without moving the cursor (Zen mode).
  • If a policy locks the session after a fixed time no matter what, no software can or should bypass it. Talk to your IT department if the delay is a problem for your work.

Keep security in mind

The automatic lock protects your data when you walk away. If you keep your session open while you are present, lock it yourself when you leave (Win+L). Mouse Jiggler can also lock the session at a time you choose, once or every day, with a warning one minute before.

Tip: combine an automatic stop (for example at 18:00) with the scheduled lock, so your PC returns to its normal behaviour at the end of the day.