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?
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“.
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.
Option 3 – Start Menu
- Select the “Start” button.
- Select your Windows Account profile picture icon, then choose “Lock Screen“.
Option 4 –Â Create Shortcut
If keystrokes are way too much for you to handle, you can make an icon that will lock your screen.
- Right-click any blank area of the Desktop.
- Select “New” > “Shortcut“.
- For the location of the item type “C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation” and click “Next“.
- 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.
Dan LaMoreaux says
does anybody know of an application that could lockout the mouse and keyboard, yet leave the display alone? i want to secure a common PC with a live production display on it.
Katie says
Exactly what I was looking for! And info not hidden behind a paywall and didn’t make me remove ad blocker.
Thanks for this!
David S says
Windows Key + L is what I was looking for thanks!
fritz says
how to undo the lacked screen when you need to
resume work?
none says
AWESOME! Thanks!