How to Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows


A screen saver is a moving picture or pattern that displays on the screen(s) of your PC after you have not been active on the PC for specified period of time to wait. Screen savers were originally used to save older, monochromatic monitors from damage, but now they are mainly a way to personalize your PC or enhance its security by offering password protection.

By default, users are able to check or uncheck the On resume, display logon screen box in their screen saver settings for what they want for screen saver password protection.

If you like, you can set to always enable or disable screen saver password protection for users.

If enabled, the On resume, display logon screen box will be checked and grayed out in screen saver settings requiring users to sign in on resume from the screen saver.

If disabled, the On resume, display logon screen box will be unchecked and grayed out in screen saver settings so users are never required to sign in on resume from the screen saver.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable screen saver password protection for specific or all users in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable screen saver password protection.

If you enable or disable screen saver password protection, then you may also want to specify a screen saver timeout period and specify a screen saver.



Contents

  • Option One: Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection for All Users using a REG file



EXAMPLE: Screen saver password protection default, enabled, and disabled
Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows-default_screen_saver_password_protection.png Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows-always_enabled_screen_saver_password_protection.png Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows-always_disabled_screen_saver_password_protection.png






OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Local Group Policy Editor


In Windows 7, the Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.

In Windows 8, the Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Pro and Enterprise editions.

In Windows 10, the Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two.


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 In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, and Personalization. (see screenshot below)

Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows-screen_saver_password_protection_gpedit-1.jpg

3 In the right pane of Personalization, double click/tap on the Password protect the screen saver policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (enable), step 6 (disable), or step 7 (default) below for what you would like to do.


5 To Always Enable Screen Saver Password Protection

A) Select (dot) either Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)


6 To Disable Screen Saver Password Protection

A) Select (dot) Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)


7 Default (user choice) Screen Saver Password Protection

A) Select (dot) Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)

Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows-screen_saver_password_protection_gpedit-2.png


8 When finished, you can close Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection for All Users using a REG file


The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the string value in the registry keys below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\Desktop

ScreenSaverIsSecure string value

(delete) = Default
0 = Disable
1 = Enable


1 Do step 2 (enable), step 3 (disable), or step 4 (default) below for what you would like to do.


2 To Always Enable Screen Saver Password Protection 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 5 below.

Always_enable_screen_saver_password_protection_for_all_users.reg

Download


3 To Disable Screen Saver Password Protection for All Users

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Disable_screen_saver_password_protection_for_all_users.reg

Download


4 Default (user choice) Screen Saver Password Protection for All Users

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Default_screen_saver_password_protection_for_all_users.reg

Download


5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

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

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

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


That's it,
Shawn


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