Screen Saver Password Protection -Enable or Disable

How to Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable password protection to display the logon screen on resuming from the screen saver in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

OPTION ONE

Through Screen Saver Settings for "Current User" Only

NOTE: This option will only affect the user that you are currently logged in as.
1. Do step 2 or 3 below depending on what edition of Windows 7 or Windows 8 you have.

2. For Windows 7 Starter or Windows 7 Home Basic editions
A) Open the Control Panel (icons view), click on the Display icon, click on the Change screen saver link in the left blue pane, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)

3. For Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, Enterprise, and All Windows 8 editions
A) Right click or press and hold on a empty space on the desktop, click/tap on Personalize, and go to step 4 below.
NOTE: The Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic editions do not have Personalize included in them.
4. Click on the Screen Saver link at the bottom right of the Personalization window. (see screenshot below)

5. To Turn On Screen Saver Password Protection
A) Check the On resume, display logon screen box.

B) If You Selected a Screen Saver

• Select how many idle minutes to Wait before the selected screen saver displays.
• Go to step 5D.

C) If You Selected (None) for No Screen Saver

• Select how many idle minutes to Wait before going straight to the log on screen (Windows 7) or lock screen (Windows 8) without a screen saver displaying first.
• Continue on to step 5D.

D) Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

6. To Turn Off Screen Saver Password Protection
A) Uncheck the On resume, display logon screen box, then click/tap on OK. (see screenshot above)

OPTION TWO

Using a REG File Download for "All Users"

NOTE: You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this option.
1. For Default Screen Saver Password Protection
NOTE: If you set it to not configured, then all users on the computer will be able to choose whether or not to set password protection for screen savers in their own user user account.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Default_Screen_Saver_Password_Protection.reg

Download


B) Go to step 4.
2. To Enable Screen Saver Password Protection for All Users
NOTE: If you enable this setting, all screen savers are password protected for all users on the computer and cannot be changed.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Enable_Screen_Saver_Password_Protection.reg

Download


B) Go to step 4.
3. To Disable Screen Saver Password Protection for All Users
NOTE: If you disable this setting, then password protection cannot be set on any screen saver for all users on the computer.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Disable_Screen_Saver_Password_Protection.reg

Download


4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

6. Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

7. Restart the computer to apply.

8. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

OPTION THREE

Through Local Group Policy Editor

NOTE: You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this option.
1. Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

2. Browse to User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, Personalization, and double click on Password Protect the Screen Saver.

3. For Default Screen Saver Password Protection
NOTE: If you set it to not configured, then all users on the computer will be able to choose whether or not to set password protection for screen savers in their own user user account.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured, and click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below)


4. To Enable Screen Saver Password Protection for all Users
NOTE: If you enable this setting, all screen savers are password protected for all users on the computer and cannot be changed.
A) Select (dot) Enabled,and click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below step 3)
5. To Disable Screen Saver Password Protection for All Users
NOTE: If you disable this setting, then password protection cannot be set on any screen saver for all users on the computer.
A) Select (dot) Disabled, and click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below step 3)
6. Close the Local group Policy Editor, and restart your computer.
That's it,
Dinesh.


Thanks to Shawn for creating the bb codes list.

Related Tutorials

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• How to Require a Password after Display is Off for Specified Time in Windows 8.1

 

[Brink]

Updated to include REG file downloads.

 

[Dinesh]

Thanks Shawn.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Dinesh.

 

[vasujain]

hey thx 4 the info share...

 

[Dinesh]

hey thx 4 the info share...

You are welcome Vasu.

 

[Orbital Shark]

Nice tutorial man

 

[Uber Philf]

Great tut dinesh, very helpful

 

[Dinesh]

Thank you Orbital Shark and Uber Philf. I m glad that you guys liked it.

 

[Brink]

Update:

Added option one.

 

[Dinesh]

Thank you Shawn.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Dinesh.

 

[J Walker]

That surely should fix the log on screen issue. I followed the procedure your posted with no problem. Thanks!

 

[Dinesh]

That surely should fix the log on screen issue. I followed the procedure your posted with no problem. Thanks!

You're welcome.

 

[deejay22]

Is there a similar setting to require a pasword when the display is turned off in power settings?

Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Deejay,

Not that I'm aware of, but you could use the tutorial below as a workaround to be able to lock the computer and turn off the display at will from the desktop context menu. Since the computer is locked, it will require a password when you wake/turn on the monitors.

How to Add "Lock Computer and Turn Off Monitor" to the Context Menu in Windows

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[antares]

hi Brink, I followed your steps but I have the following issues:

1) the "Change screen saver" link is not present in the left pane of Control Panel/Display
2) I was able to check the "On resume display logon screen" checkbox under "Screen Saver Settings"
3) A "Merge" option is not present in the display menu when right clicking the reg file in the Desktop

My user account is set to Administrator with full privileges and I set a log on screen password in my User Account. However the screensavers do not prompt for a password when resuming, even when the step 2 above was successful.
Any suggestion? Thanks

UPDATE: I was able to open the reg file using "Open with.." and selecting "Registry Editor" and it was merged, however the "Merge" option is not present as stated before. I rebooted and now the screensaver is password protected upon resume as desired, however the option to "On resume display logon screen" is grayed out.