Background
We’ve been upgrading a customers environment from Win7 and Win8 to Windows 10 for the last couple of months. Like most companies there isn’t just one configuration of a workstation. There might be a stationary setup, laptop, thin clients or displays/infographics.
So for one of these configurations we didn’t want the computer to lock on idle. Which is enforced by default, probably as a safety feature.
In the earlier versions of Windows this could be disabled by not activating the screensaver and/or adjusting the power settings. However this is not the case in Windows 10.
Solution
Browsing the web I ran into several suggestions on how to solve this issue.
The most popular was modifying the registry to show hidden power settings, which did not help.
Anyway, to solve this in Windows 10 you need to create a value called InactivityTimeoutSecs. The default timer is “900” (15 minutes). Setting this to “0” solved the issue for us.
Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\ Value Name: InactivityTimeoutSecs Value Type: REG_DWORD Value: 0x00000000 (0)
Hope this solved it for you as well. Please let me know below if you have any further questions!
Its not working sorry
Hi Jam,
Which version of Windows are you running? We tested an verified on Windows 10 1607 with the latest updates as of today.
Best regards,
Joakim
Lifesaver!! thank you!1
this worked for me when nothing else has.
Had it working with my installer ID.. Once I set up a generic ID using auto logon, it stopped working.
I set the generic ID up as an Administrator. Set the value to a 1 and then back to a 0 again to see if it works.
Nevermind.. I just seen it lock on the other side of the room.. bummer.
I took the generic ID out of auto logon. Deleted the InactivityTimeoutSecs and made a new one with the generic ID. Still no worky..
Version is Windows 10 Enterprise.
It doesn't work now for Windows 10 version 1703
worked perfectly for me. thanks a lot
that worked for me too. Windows 10 1703
Not working with Windows 10 Enterprise 1703
Do you have any GPOs applied to the device?
I think I do have GPOs applied. How can I bypass them and use the InactivityTimeoutSecs value ?
Thanks!
Save this as a .reg file and run it:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"InactivityTimeoutSecs"=dword:00000000
What's the rest of the registry pathway?
It's cut off in your image, and you didn't put it in the article.
What do you mean, it's in the solution.
Best regards,
J
This fixed my lockscreen issue in Win10 when using Soundspectrum visualizer programs in standalone mode. Once closing the visualizer (G-Force or Aeon), the lockscreen would appear within three minutes.
Thanks for this!
This does not show me how to do what your suggesting
Only thing Ive found that works is an app called movemouse. Yeah it’s a cheat but it does the job
Thanks you, this resolved my lockscreen issue – Win 10 Pro 1607.
So my only ? is how do i get to the place to make this value
Hi Ashton,
You can save the code as "regisrry.reg" and run it, or browse to the location with regedit.exe
Best regards,
Joakim
Works for me. Thanks a bunch! Was going nuts over this. Windows 10 Enterprise, [Version 10.0.15063]
So easy. On the taskbar where the notifications popup, click, and click all settings. Click on Accounts> Require Sign in> Never
Done and dusted
That literally was the fix for me. I feel dumb now but thank you for telling us. :)
settings > accounts > require sign-in > never
IF THAT IS GRAYED OUT.. — start/windows button > type "uac" (change user account control settings) > lower it by one notch. *only had to lower mine by one.
go back to — settings > accounts > require sign-in > never
Have to say Thanks Joakim! This registry "trick" fixed my screen saver activating after 30 seconds of in-activity and then displaying the Log On Screen, and Screen Saver, forcing me to sign in EVERY 30 SECONDS. It has annoyed and frustrated me for several weeks and all the other suggestions didn't fix this problem. Who, why, how etc. put "InactivityTimeoutSecs = 30""?!?! Which is exactly how long before my Screen Saver activated.
I walked away for several minutes, and my monitor was still on! The Screen Saver activated at the set time, 10 minute mark. :)
Now, to fix my few other issues … the search begins again.
[ Windows 10 Pro. Version 1803 ]
I tried this and the screen says: "Authentication is required when this PC wakes from sleep. Security policies on this PC are preventing you from changing this setting."
I am an Administrator on my PC. What next? Thank you.
Hi I am a newbie in this stuff and i am not quite sure if i am following your instructions correctly. I created a .txt file on desktop, copy-pasted your content, saved it and renamed the file to .reg. When i ran it, i got an error "The specified file is not a registry script. You can only import binary registry files…"
My Windows version is 1803. Could you help me on this please?
Not working.
I saved the code in regisrry.reg and ran it as suggested. I then rebooted my PC. The PC still goes to screen lock after 1 minute.
I checked the registry – the edit is correctly applied.
My screensaver settings were grayed out and set to 15 min timeout with password on resume, which was driving me nuts!
Hey Everyone…this drove me nuts as well!!! I had tried everything above but this worked for me(Win10 Pro Version 1809):
Go to Start->Settings->Accounts->Sign-in options
The very first item is "Require sign-in"; change that drop-down to "Never" and that's all.
I changed all of the settings shown above back to what they were originally and this still works.
Thanks ! I've had this problem for MONTHS and nothing worked until I stumbled upon this guide. I'm on Windows 10 Pro 1909.