4 Ways to Lock the Screen in Windows 10

Locking your Microsoft Windows 10 computer screen is important for protecting your data from wandering eyes. This is especially true in the workplace. Nobody you work with needs to see that photo from when you dressed as Ulala from Space Channel 5 for Halloween 2000. Most of us already lock our screens whenever we leave our cubicle to attend a meeting or gossip about the awful dress Trisha is wearing today. But did you know there are 4 different ways you can lock your Windows 10 screen?

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Option 1 – Ctrl + Alt + Delete then Enter

This is the common one most people already know about. Hold “Ctrl” and “Alt“, then press “Delete“. After options appear on the screen, press “Enter“.

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Option 2 – Windows Key + L

Since the Windows Key has been introduced, it has largely been ignored. Hold down Windows Key and press “L” for a quicker way of locking your screen.

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Option 3 – Start Menu

1. Select the “Start” button.
2. Select your Windows Account profile picture icon, then choose “Lock Screen“.

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Option 4 – Create Shortcut

If keystrokes are way too much for you to handle, you can make an icon that will lock your screen.

1. Right-click any blank area of the Desktop.
2. Select “New” > “Shortcut“.
   
3. For the location of the item type “C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation” and click “Next“.
   
4. Give the icon a name, like “Lock Screen“, then click “Finish“.
   Now you have a Screen Lock icon you can double-click whenever you leave your desk.
   
   You can even take it a step further and pin it to your taskbar. Click it once and lock your screen.