One of these features that Windows includes to protect our privacy is the ability to lock the PC in certain circumstances, such as when the sleep resumes. However, this is something that can be especially annoying if we are the only users of the computer.
When asking for the password becomes excess security
Windows has an additional layer of security that will ask us to log in and enter the password each time the computer is resumed from sleep mode. Something especially useful in the office or in case there are several people who may have access to our files in certain places. But if we are at home and we are the only person who has access to the computer, having to re-enter the password in this case can be an annoying and unnecessary step.
And is that if we have other security methods such as Windows Hello or fingerprint this does not pose a special problem. On the other hand, if we use a long and complex password, surely we do not like the idea of having to write it down and repeat it every time the PC returns from a sleep state.
That is why, if we prefer to directly access the desktop without having to provide our password, we have several ways to disable it. For this we can use the Settings menu, the Group Policy Editor and the Command Prompt
Ways to enable or disable password prompt
Next, we are going to see the different ways that Windows tools offer us to be able to deactivate the annoying password request, every time Windows returns from a suspended state.
From the Settings menu
We can prevent Windows 10 from asking us to log in after leaving sleep mode by deactivating this function from the “Settings” menu. This is as simple as pressing the keyboard shortcut “Windows + I”, which will automatically open the “2Configuration” menu, where we must access the “Accounts” section. Once in the new window, in the left column we click on the section of “Login Options”.
Now we go to the “Require login” section and using its drop-down menu we select the option of “Never”. Once this is done, nothing else will be required, not even restarting the computer. Windows 10 will automatically stop asking us to enter the password to log in when returning from a sleep state. If at any time we want to revert the changes we use the option “When the PC wakes up after a sleep state.”
Using the Policy Editor
Another option to prevent Windows from asking for the password is to disable this option using the Local Group Policy Editor. This tool will only be available to those users who use Windows 10 in its Pro version as an operating system. In addition, we can use it not only so that it does not ask us for the password after returning from sleep mode, but also allows us to disable it when our computer is running on battery or connected.
To do this, we are going to press the keyboard shortcut “Windows + R” that will help us launch the Run command. Here, we must write gpedit.msc and press Enter. This will cause the Windows Policy Editor to open. In it we must navigate to the following route:
Configuración de equipo / Plantillas administrativas / Sistema / Administrador de energía / Configuración de suspensión
Once in the folder, we must look for two policies that we are going to modify. On the one hand, “Request a password when activating the device (connected)”, and on the other, “Request a password when activating the device (with battery)”. Individually, we will right-click on each of these two policies. In the next window we check the box “To disable”. Finally, on Apply and OK.
Once the steps are completed, the system will skip the login screen and go directly to the desktop when we exit the suspend process. In case we want to revert the changes, it will only be necessary to carry out the previous steps and both in the policy of “Request a password when activating the equipment (connected)”, and that of “Request a password when activating the equipment (with battery) »we must choose the option of “Not configured.”
Using the Command Prompt
The Command Prompt tool can also be used as one more alternative to enable and disable the password prompt once Windows comes out of sleep mode.
Disable login
For this we are going to write cmd in the search box of the Start menu so that the Command Prompt appears. Next, we click on the Run as administrator option that appears on the right side of the screen.
If we want to disable the login option while the computer is running on battery we write the following command and press Enter:
powercfg /SETDCVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 0
If what we need is to disable the startup option while the PC is connected to the mains we write this command and press Enter:
powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 0
Once the steps are completed, once Windows returns from sleep mode, it will ask us to enter the password again.
Activate login
In the event that we repent and want to re-enable the mandatory login option once Windows is activated after being suspended, we must start the Command Prompt again and follow these steps.
To re-enable the login option when the computer is running on battery we write this command and press Enter:
powercfg /SETDCVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 1
If what we want is to enable the login option while the PC is connected to the mains, we will write the following command and press Enter:
powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 1
With the Control Panel in old version
In order to disable Windows from asking us for the password after returning from suspension, we can use the Control Panel in the event that we use an old version of Windows 10. And this function is only available in the version prior to Anniversary Update , that is to say, Windows 10 1511 and earlier versions.
If this is our case, we must write Power Options in the search box of the Start menu. Later we click on the option Require password when activated. On the next screen, click on Change the configuration that is not available and choose which option to leave from the different options that they offer us. To remove the password, simply choose Do not require a password, within the processor inactivity section.
