- To disable sign-in again after sleep or inactivity on Windows 11, open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, and choose the “Never” option for the “If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again” setting.
- You can also configure the feature to require a password every time the computer resumes sleep or after a number of minutes of inactivity.
On Windows 11, you can decide whether the system should require you to enter the password again when the computer or display resumes from sleep.
The feature has been designed for security to prevent other people from gaining access to your account when you are away. If the feature is enabled, when the device or display goes into sleep mode after some time of inactivity (based on the Screen and sleep settings), and then after waking up, you will be required to enter a password to continue.
If you are in your home office or a trusted place, it can be unpleasant to re-enter your password every time you step away from the device for a few minutes. If this is your case, you can also disable the sign-in requirement on Windows 11.
In this guide, I will teach you the steps to enable or disable sign-in after the computer or display resumes from sleep on Windows 11.
- Disable sign-in after waking up from sleep on Windows 11
- Enable sign-in after waking up from sleep on Windows 11
Disable sign-in after waking up from sleep on Windows 11
To disable the sign-in password after stepping away or sleep on Windows 11, use these steps:
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Open Settings on Windows 11.
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Click on Accounts.
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Click the Sign-in options page.
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Choose the Never option for the “If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again” setting under the “Additional settings” section.
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Confirm your account credentials (if applicable).
Once you complete the steps, as you step away from the computer or it resumes from sleep, Windows 11 will login back into the account automatically without requiring a password.
Enable sign-in after waking up from sleep on Windows 11
To configure when the operating system should lock the device and require a password after sleep or as you step away, use these steps:
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Open Settings on Windows 11.
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Click on Accounts.
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Click the Sign-in options page.
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(Option 1) Choose the Every Time option for the “If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again” setting under the “Additional settings” section to require sign-in after sleep.
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(Option 2) Choose the 1 through 15 minutes for the “If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again” setting under the “Additional settings” section to require sign-in after the number of minutes of inactivity (including sleep).
After you complete the steps, the computer will show the Lock screen, and you will be required to sign in with your password every time the device resumes from sleep or after a number of minutes of inactivity.
If you want to disable the Lock screen or bypass the sign-in screen on startup and after resuming from sleep, you have to remove the login password on Windows 11.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].