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Is there a way to set a Windows system to lock (as if Win+L had been pressed) an idle session without using a screen saver?

I'm looking for answers compatible with Windows XP and above. I'd rather not use Task Scheduler if there is a local group policy or other setting that can be used instead.

Iszi
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2 Answers2

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Open your screensaver properties. Change the screensaver to "None", select "On resume, display logon screen" and then set the "Wait:" time to your desired idle time.

This does not engage the screensave, rather goes directly to the logon screen as if you just locked it using Win + L.

enter image description here

CharlieRB
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  • He specifically asked for a solution without screen savers. Otherwise: http://superuser.com/questions/167054/lock-your-computer-after-5-minutes-of-inactivity – Oliver Salzburg May 24 '12 at 16:45
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    This doesn't use screensaver (notice None selected). It doesn't say not to use the interface which invokes it. Yes that answer is similar, but not the same. Mine specifically does not use a screensaver. – CharlieRB May 24 '12 at 16:51
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    You're right. Sorry, my mistake. – Oliver Salzburg May 24 '12 at 16:51
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    @OliverSalzburg While this does use the "screen saver" function, it does not use an actual screensaver. Absent any other solution that doesn't require a scheduled task, I'm inclined to go in this direction. I didn't know that the "display logon screen" option was available with the "None" option selected. – Iszi May 24 '12 at 16:52
  • This works, but I've not had it working before even though I had the relevant settings set. I had to unset, *Apply* and set, *Apply* the settings again to get it to work. Or I haven't noticed it before. **BTW,** the screen goes black for about 2 seconds before the lock screen is shown. **Again BTW,** this is a Windows 7 and above feature. Windows Vista and below still requires a screensaver to be set. You can use the "Blank" screensaver if nothing fancy is desired. – ADTC Jun 10 '14 at 08:57
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  1. Go into C:\Windows
  2. Create a new shortcut
  3. Paste this in the path: %windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation.
  4. Click next and rename it, click finish.
  5. Then Control Panel
  6. Scheduled Tasks
  7. Add Scheduled Task.Give some Proper name.
  8. Next/Browse
  9. Find the new shortcut, select it, pick daily, next.
  10. Type in a password for the Scheduled
  11. Task/Confirm, Next, Finish
  12. Double click the new scheduled task you just made
  13. Schedule Tab
  14. Schedule Task

  15. Select when Idle, enter time allotment, ok.

    Reference

Kunal Shivalkar
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  • Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, [it would be preferable](http://meta.stackexchange.com/q/8259) to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. – Sathyajith Bhat May 24 '12 at 16:18
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    voted down? hmm.. First of all I am very much new on superuser. but i have seen many answers on superuser which just points to another sites those contains good solution. If you want me to post whole solution,i will edit it. But voted down makes an impression that answer is useless or complicity wrong ?? isn't it ? – Kunal Shivalkar May 24 '12 at 16:36
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    @KunalShivalkar, don't get discouraged. I went through the same thing when I first started. The idea of Superuser is for us to share our experience in order to help, not just link to what we find. Linking is great for support of your answer, but not so good as the answer alone. – CharlieRB May 24 '12 at 16:48
  • @CharlieRB : Thanks for your advice. i will take care of this from next time :) – Kunal Shivalkar May 24 '12 at 16:57
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    Thanks for the info but, as I said in the question, I'd rather avoid using Task Scheduler for this. – Iszi May 24 '12 at 18:33
  • @IsziRoryorIsznti : I would also recommend you to follow to CharlieRB's solution.its better than mine.I will delete my answer bcoz it doesn't suit to ur question. – Kunal Shivalkar May 24 '12 at 19:02
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    @Kunal: Don't delete your answer. It might help someone in the future. – indiv May 24 '12 at 19:19
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    Couldn't the OP just do the first four steps and end up with a shortcut that when invoked locked the workstation? Using the task scheduler is not necessary. – martineau May 24 '12 at 20:30
  • @martineau I'm looking for an idle timer lockout. Something that doesn't require user interaction, because the user is presumably not present. – Iszi Jul 12 '12 at 20:41
  • @Iszi: Thanks for the clarification, obviously I didn't understand that from question's content itself. – martineau Jul 13 '12 at 00:05
  • We have a situation where the Group Policy locks the computer in 45 minutes and this is not editable. So, the only way I could think of making the lock workstation shorter was to use the Task Scheduler method. – Sun May 22 '14 at 16:19