Use any of the methods below to stop other people from snooping around your PC. Unlike signing out, locking a computer is faster, just as secure, and doesn't require you to shut down open programs. Press ⊞ Win + L to easily lock your computer. When you lock your computer in this way, you won't be signed out, and the computer won't go to sleep, but it will make it so you have to enter the password to get into the computer. Locking your Windows 10 PC is the best way to secure your computer when you step away. This won't quit or interrupt any running applications, and you have to type your PIN or password to get past the lock screen. Here are 10 ways you can lock your computer. Lock Your Computer in the Start Menu Simple Keystrokes to Lock Your Computer To lock a Windows computer, press Win + L. On Mac, press Ctrl + Shift + the power button or eject button (if your Mac has a CD drive). When you try to unlock your computer, it will require a password to log back in. If it doesn't, you can adjust these settings in your computer's sign-on settings. Learn five easy and simple ways, including a keyboard shortcut and an automatic method, to lock your Windows system. When moving away from your computer, you must lock the system. Fast and methods to lock your computer instantly, ensuring your device's security while you step away, with easy keyboard shortcuts for Windows and macOS. Press and hold the Windows logo key on your keyboard (this key should appear next to the Alt key), and then press the L letter key. Your computer will be locked, and the Windows login screen will be displayed. Here's everything you need to know about automatically locking and unlocking your PC just by stepping away and sitting back down. Locking the device in Windows 11 is independent of the power button settings, so changing options under “Choose what the power buttons do” will not control the Lock feature. Lock can be triggered in several other ways without creating a new user account. If you want to make sure others can’t access your data when you step away from your PC, it’s a good idea to learn how to lock the screen in Windows 11. This also saves battery while keeping your Windows session active in the background, so you can simply log in to get back to what you were doing.