Personalization Enable or Disable Lock Screen in Windows 11

Brink · Sep 11, 2021

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the lock screen for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

The lock screen (aka: welcome screen) is the screen you see at startup and when you lock the computer (Win+L). You will need to dismiss the lock screen to to see the sign-in screen and sign in to Windows.

If you prefer, you can disable the lock screen to only see the sign-in screen at startup and when users lock the computer(Win+L). The lock screen background image you set will still show on the sign-in screen by default.

If you have more than one display, the lock screen will only show on the main display.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable the lock screen.

If you have secure sign-in enabled for users to require them to press the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys on the lock screen before signing in, then the lock screen cannot be disabled.

Contents

Option One: Enable or Disable Lock Screen in Local Group Policy Editor
Option Two: Enable or Disable Lock Screen using REG file

EXAMPLE: lock screen

Option One

Enable or Disable Lock Screen in Local Group Policy Editor

The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two.

1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).

2 Navigate to the policy location below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization

3 In the right pane of Personalization in the Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Do not display the lock screen policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

5 To Enable Lock Screen for All Users

This is the default setting.

A) Select (dot) Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

6 To Disable Lock Screen for All Users

A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

7 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.

Option Two

Enable or Disable Lock Screen using REG file

1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

2 To Enable Lock Screen for All Users

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_Lock_screen_for_all_users.reg

Download

(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\SessionData]
"AllowLockScreen"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization]
"NoLockScreen"=-

3 To Disable Lock Screen for All Users

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_Lock_screen_for_all_users.reg

Download

(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

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

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 You could now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn Brink