It's a typical day on campus. A staff member steps out of a shared office to ask a quick question down the hall. A faculty member leaves the podium computer for a moment between classes. A student runs to refill their drink at the library. What was meant to be just a minute turns into five, ten, or more.
It's common to walk away from our devices longer than expected. But in each case, a screen is left behind
—still logged in and leaving private emails, grades, or documents exposed and available to anyone walking by.
The easy solution? Enable the auto-lock feature on your computer and mobile devices. You can also use device shortcuts to easily lock your screen any time you get up. When you come back, you will be asked to enter a PIN, password or fingerprint to unlock your device, which adds an extra layer of security.
Locking the screen on your device is about recognizing how busy and shared our spaces are, and choosing a simple yet impactful habit that protects our community's information.
Follow the instructions below to enable the auto-lock feature or learn shortcut options.
How to Lock Your Computer
MacOS
Enable Auto-Lock
- Step 1: From the Apple
menu, choose System Preferences.
- Step 2: Click Lock Screen
in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down).
- Step 3: Adjust the time for "Start Screen Saver when inactive" to 10 minutes (or less).
- Step 4: Adjust the time for "Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off" to Immediately.
- Optional but Recommend: Adjust "Turn display off" settings to five (5) minutes.
View more change lock screen settings on Mac.
Keyboard Shortcuts
- Ctrl + ⌘ + Q (Control + Command + Q): Immediately locks your screen.
- Ctrl + Shift + Power : Sends your display to sleep.
Windows
Enable Auto-Lock
- Step 1: From the Windows Start menu, select Settings.
- Step 2: Go to Personalization > Screen Lock > Screen Timeout Settings.
- Step 3: Click Screen and Sleep to expand the menu.
- Step 4: Set "Put my device to sleep after" to 10 minutes.
- Optional but Recommended: Set "Turn my screen off after" to five (5) minutes
Keyboard Shortcuts
- Win Key + L : Immediately locks your screen.
- Ctrl-Alt-Delete : Brings up the Windows Security screen, providing the option to lock your screen.
How to Lock Your Mobile Device
iOS
Enable Auto-Lock
- Step 1: Go to Settings > Display & Brightness.
- Step 2: Scroll down and select Auto-Lock.
- Step 3: Select your preferred amount of inactivity.
Add Passcode to Unlock Device
- Step 1: On iPhone X or and later, Go to Settings > Face ID and Passcode. On earlier iPhone models, go to Touch ID & Passcode. On devices without Touch ID, go to Settings > Passcode.
- Step 2: Tap Turn Passcode On
- Step 3: Enter a six-digit passcode, or tap Passcode Options to switch to a four-digit numeric code, a custom numeric code, or a custom alphanumeric code.
- Step 4: Enter your passcode again to confirm and activate it.
View instructions on how to set up Face ID.
Device Shortcut
- Press the button the right side of your iPhone or top button on your iPad to turn off your device screen.
Android
Enable Auto-Lock
- Step 1: Go to the Settings menu on your device and scroll down until you find “Security” or “Lock Screen and Security” and tap it. This is typically located under the “Personal” section on Android 4.2 or higher.
- Step 2: Under the “Screen Security” section, tap the Screen Lock Type option. By default, this option is set to “Swipe,” which means no password or pattern is needed.
- Step 3: From here, select which lock type you want to use:
- Pattern: Draw a simple pattern with your finger.
- PIN: Enter four or more numbers. A six-digit pin is recommended for added security.
- Password: Enter four or more letters and numbers. A longer password is more secure.
- Fingerprints: If available on your phone, a PIN or Password must be set as a backup before you can enable Fingerprint Security.
View auto-lock instructions on Android Help.
Device Shortcut
- Press the button the side of your Android device.
- Double-tap the phone screen.