Personalization Change Screen Saver Grace Period to Require Sign-in in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to change the screen saver grace period to how many seconds you want applied for all users Windows 10 and Windows 11.

When you turn on and set up using a screen saver in Windows, it will start when user activity has been idle for a specified "wait" period of time.

You can check On resume, display logon screen to require sign in on resume from the screen saver.

When you check On resume, display logon screen for screen saver password protection, it is not effective immediately. There is a 5 second delay by default between the time that the screen saver locks the computer and the time password protection is required. During this screen saver grace period interval, you are able to resume from the screen saver to unlock the computer without having to sign in. This screen saver grace period is designed to minimize the disruption that results when the screen saver starts after the specified "wait" period for being idle, but you are still wanting to use the computer. For example, while reading something on the computer without computer activity for longer than the specified "wait" period for the screen saver.

You can either move the mouse, touch the screen, touch the touchpad, or press a key to resume from the screen saver.

You must be signed in as an administrator to change the screen saver grace period.

EXAMPLE: Screen Saver Settings




Here's How:

1 Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe).

2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane in Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)



3 In the right pane of the Winlogon key, double click/tap on the ScreenSaverGracePeriod DWORD to modify it. (see screenshot above)

The ScreenSaverGracePeriod DWORD is not there by default.

To add the ScreenSaverGracePeriod DWORD, right click or press and hold on an empty area in the right pane of the Winlogon key, click/tap on New, click/tap on DWORD (32-bit) Value, type ScreenSaverGracePeriod for the name, and press Enter to create it.

4 Perform the following steps: (see screenshot below)

1. Select (dot) Decimal.
2. Enter a number between 0 and 2147483 for how many seconds grace period you want.
   

   0 (zero) seconds will give you no password required delay for immediate password protection as soon as the screen saver starts.

3. Click/tap on OK.

5 You can now close Registry Editor if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink