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I'm running Windows 8.1 Pro on a laptop. As soon as the laptop's display turns off, the computer requires me to enter a password to log back in. How can I prevent the display timeout from requiring a password?

  • No screen saver is configured.
  • The option On resume, display logon screen is disabled.
  • I've confirmed the PC is not going to sleep.

Many solutions on Google direct you to Metro PC Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options to change the Require a password after the display is off option (example). But I don't have that option:

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I have no idea what "setting is managed by my system administrator" that's greying this option out. (I think this clue is the key to solving my problem.)

What I've tried:

Community
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I say Reinstate Monica
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  • "setting is managed by my system administrator" Is this your personal computer, or a work computer? Are you on a Domain? Have you run GPResult to determine which (if any) group policies are being applied (by your System administrator)? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Feb 18 '15 at 13:56
  • PC is part of a domain. I have actually moved the PC to an OU that has no Group Policy and confirmed none are applied to the PC, but the problem persists. – I say Reinstate Monica Feb 18 '15 at 14:17
  • Ahhh.. if you move it to an OU with no policies configured, then whatever configurations were previously set by policy will continue to be applied until you apply NEW policies that (re)set the settings back to the various defaults. – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Feb 18 '15 at 14:21
  • Group Policy normally [doesn't tattoo](http://community.spiceworks.com/topic/373510-im-surprised-how-many-people-think-all-gps-tattoo-on-the-registry), but I'll double-check. The only screen saver or power management setting applied via GP was `Specify the System Sleep Timeout (plugged in)` which is/was set to `0` (disabled). – I say Reinstate Monica Feb 18 '15 at 14:30
  • User _Preferences_ (which is what power options usually are) do tattoo. Basically anything that doesn't use/respect the "Policies" reg keys will tattoo. But how about this: Do other computers on the domain have the same problem? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Feb 18 '15 at 14:43
  • @Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 You are correct. The only user preferences in use are for drive mappings and printers. Still, I'll confirm nothing's slipping through the cracks and report back. – I say Reinstate Monica Feb 18 '15 at 14:48
  • Down voter: Care to explain what's not to site standards with this question? – I say Reinstate Monica Aug 21 '15 at 14:20

1 Answers1

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"Require a password on wakeup = No" <- this is why it's not asking for a password when you wake it up from sleep.

When it JUST turns off the monitors (with no screensaver enabled, or at least don't enable "On resume, display logon screen") then it shouldn't ask for a password (mine sure doesn't ;) ).

So to sum up:

  • Enable "Require a password on wakeup".
  • Disable "On resume, display logon screen" for your screen saver.
Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007
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  • As Techie007 points out. There is a difference between the logon screen and the lock screen. One can make it that once logged in Windows never locks itself and thus the logon screen after being locked is never displayed. – Ramhound Feb 17 '15 at 21:16
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    Enabling **Require a password on wakeup** does produce the desired behavior of a password being required on resume from sleep, **but it also forces a password to be required after the display turns off**. It's this latter behavior I'm trying to address. – I say Reinstate Monica Feb 17 '15 at 21:18
  • It shouldn't, since blanking the monitors is not the same as putting it into a sleep state. Have you confirmed it's ONLY turning off the monitors when you think that's what's happening? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Feb 17 '15 at 21:21
  • Yes. I have "Put the computer to sleep" disabled for both battery and AC power sources, and I have confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that the machine is not going to sleep. – I say Reinstate Monica Feb 17 '15 at 21:22