Privacy and Security Use Find My Device to Remotely Lock your Windows 11 Device


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Find_My_Device_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to use Find My Device to remotely lock your Windows 10 or Windows 11 device.

Find My Device is a feature that can help you locate your Windows 11 device if it's lost or stolen. To use this feature, sign in to your device with a Microsoft account and make sure you're an administrator on it. This feature works when location services is turned on for your device, even if other users on the device have turned off location settings for their apps. Any time you attempt to locate the device online at Microsoft, users using the device will see a notification in the notification area.

If you have Find My Device turned on, your device will automatically update its location periodically while connected to the Internet.

If needed, you can use Find My Device to remotely lock your Windows device. Remotely locking your Windows device will log out any active users and disable sign in for local users (standard users). Administrators with permissions will still have access, but unauthorized access will be blocked. Your device will be locked and location tracking services will be enabled. It will be required to have an administrator sign in to the remotely locked device first before any standard users are able to sign in.

Once your device is locked, you can reset your password if needed for added security.


EXAMPLE: Lock screen message on remotely locked device

Lock_screen.jpg


EXAMPLE: Restricted sign in screen message on remotely locked device

Non-administrator_sign-in.jpg



Here's How:

1 Go to the the https://account.microsoft.com/devices page online at Microsoft, and sign in with your Microsoft account.

2 Expand open the Windows device (ex: "BrinkW11VM") you want to remotely lock, and click/tap on Find my device. (see screenshot below)

Find_My_Device_remotely_lock_device-1.png

3 Click/tap on Lock. (see screenshot below)

Find_My_Device_remotely_lock_device-2.jpg

4 Enter a message you want to show on the lock screen of the locked device, and click/tap on Lock. (see screenshot below)

Find_My_Device_remotely_lock_device-3.png

5 Click/tap on OK when your device has been successfully locked. (see screenshots below)

Find_My_Device_remotely_lock_device-4.png
Find_My_Device_remotely_lock_device-5.png

6 An email will now be sent to your Microsoft account letting you know "Your account shows that you requested to lock your device". (see screenshot below)

lock_device_email.png


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

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I Know this is like a.year old. But. How do you unlock the pc that's been locked? I can't reboot to do a system restore at all. Power cycling. F8. Shift l. Shift restart. Nothing works for that. I am the administrator of my pc, I have logged in on my android phone. That's the extent of that I am able to find...

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Gigabyte Aero 15 XC
    CPU
    Intel i7-10870H @2.20ghz
    Memory
    32 Gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce rtx 3070 Laptop
    Sound Card
    integrated realtek
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160 Set to 1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    #1 1tb m.2 drive
    #2 2tb samsung 970 evo
    PSU
    laptop
    Case
    laptop
    Cooling
    laptop
    Keyboard
    logitech g910
    Mouse
    random logitech gaming mouse
    Internet Speed
    9 Mbps up 1 down
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    windows defender

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