How to Disable the Lock Screen in Windows 10 and Windows 11

The lock screen—the full-screen image you see before the sign-in prompt—can be a minor annoyance if you’re the sole user of your PC or running a kiosk. While Microsoft doesn’t offer a one-click “turn off lock screen” toggle, you can remove it via Group Policy (Pro/Enterprise editions) or a simple Registry tweak (all editions). Below you’ll find step-by-step instructions, plus a quick tip to bypass the “require sign-in” on wake.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Editing Group Policy or the Registry can affect system stability if done incorrectly.
• Be sure to back up your Registry (File → Export) or create a System Restore point.
• These tweaks were tested on Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2; behavior may vary on future builds.

1. Disable Lock Screen via Group Policy Editor

This method works on Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
2. In the left pane, navigate to: Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Control Panel → Personalization
3. In the right pane, double-click Do not display the lock screen.
4. Select Enabled, then click OK.
5. To apply immediately, open an elevated Command Prompt and run: gpupdate /force
6. Lock your PC (Win + L) to confirm the lock screen has been skipped.

2. Disable Lock Screen via Registry Editor

Use this on Windows 10/11 Home or any edition without gpedit.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit and press Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE └─ SOFTWARE └─ Policies └─ Microsoft └─ Windows
3. If you don’t see a Personalization key under Windows, right-click Windows → New → Key, name it Personalization.
4. Click Personalization, then in the right pane right-click → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. Name the new DWORD NoLockScreen, double-click it, set Value data to 1, and click OK.
6. Close Registry Editor and reboot your PC.
7. After restart, pressing Win + L should take you straight to the sign-in prompt.

; .reg file you can save and merge if you prefer:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization]
"NoLockScreen"=dword:00000001

3. (Optional) Skip “Require Sign-In” on Wake

Even with the lock screen disabled, Windows may still ask for your password or PIN after sleep/lock. To turn that off:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options.
2. Under If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again?, choose Never.

4. How to Revert These Changes

• Group Policy: Set Do not display the lock screen back to Not Configured and run gpupdate /force.
• Registry: Delete the NoLockScreen DWORD (or set it to 0) under:
  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization

Disabling the lock screen can streamline your workflow, especially on your personal machine or in controlled kiosk environments. If you hit any snags or have questions, drop a comment below!

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!