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Lock Your Mac Desktop

There are times when we want to walk out of our Mac yet still have many running tasks to stop us from logging out. Surely, these can become an itch-scratching issue if we have no knowledge on locking our Mac.

In this article, we will share you two ways of locking your Mac desktop.

Enable Security Password Upon Waking Up

Inside our System Preferences, there is an option for us to enable this security password upon waking up, from either sleep mode or screen saver mode. This option, with the waking up password the same as our account password, can be enabled under System Preferences → Security → General.

Above. Enabling Password to Wake Up Computer

After you have enabled this option, having your Mac into either sleep mode or screen saver mode will lock your Mac desktop.

Go to Login Window with Fast User Switching

Besides being used for quickly switching to other account, we can use this feature to lock our Mac desktop. This can be done by clicking on the icon sat on our menu bar and choosing Login Window….

Above. Selection to go to Login Window

This feature, fast user switching, can be enabled inside System Preferences → Accounts → Login Options.

Above. Enabling Fast User Switching

If there is any other ways to lock our Mac desktop, I will be more than happy to hear about those.

Categories: Tips and Tricks
Tags: Desktop, Lock

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51 Comments

Jacco 

I use "active screen corners" and set my mouse in the bottom left corner when I walk away, that kicks in my screen saver.  With the same security settings as this article it will ask you for your password when you return. On my linux box I have a tool that locks the screen when my bluetooth phone is out of range....

Chris Wanja 

Like the above person, hot corners works great and make sure in the security part of System Prefs, you have "require password to wake from screensaver". Works like a charm, used it many times.

Romain 

You can also use the Keychain state menubar item (small lock icon), which has a Lock Screen action.
To enable this menubar item, open Keychain Access, go to Prefernces, General tab, and check 'Show status in menu bar".
MacWorld as a good article on how to quickly lock your screen

Olav 

I too use active screencorners

hazardouspaste 

Still doesn't compare to Linux's Ctrl Alt F7.

Jamie 

I use MacLock. 
http://ourapples.com/downloads/macloc

Rhywun 

For years I've been looking for a way to require a password to wake up from sleep but NOT from the screensaver. I require the former, so as it is I don't use screen savers.

Russ 

I use "LockTight" http://www.freemacware.com/locktight.

really? 

run out of windows users to harass into using an operating system that is still not ready for everyday desktop use, so you come to the mac sites now?




if you wanna go this route, windows still has you beat.  Win+L is one less key.  better yet, go talk about linux on a linux site.

Tunaranch 

I used to have QuickSilver set to 'hold cmd-esc for 5 seconds' to activate screensaver. Frees up a hot corner for something used for frequently.

Titanick 

I still think Keychain is the fastest and the best.

Terry Wang 

I have written a post like this.
http://portalinsight.blogspot.com/2008/11/always-remember-to-lock-your-computer.html

I use a free widget http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/networking_security/locker.html

@hazardouspaste
What does Ctrl + Alt + F7 do? It only works if you switch to one of the pseudo consoles.

For GNOME and KDE, the hot key to lock is Ctrl + Alt + L.

Abhishek 

I use Keychain's "Lock Screen" menu option in the Apple menu bar.

MacPhobia 

Still doesn't compare to Weindows Alt+Ctrl+Del or WinKey+L

Bruno 

I use ScreenLock freeware (www.handymacapps.com ) which does exactly the same but without having to enable the "fast user switching" menu. I just call it through QuickSilver. Definitely the best way I've found so far :-)

Chris 

If you mean you capture Ctrl+Alt+F7 to start a screen saver sure, but switching tty's isn't really locking the screen :)

Geo 

Hi,
I use a program called Winswitch (fast user switching) - website: http://wincent.com/a/products/winswitch/ . I also have a "normal" P at work and I love the combination of windows-key + L. I have set up Winswitch to use Cmd+L... 
That works fine for me!

Chris 

Let us forget that bluetooth causes cancer ;)

Brody 

on the mac you can also open up front row by holding apple or command, and esc.

Reese 

Good job man =)

erugalatha 

The problem with all of these methods, while they get the job of locking you mac done, if you are on a 3G card it disconnects the mac from the Internet when the lock happens.

Is there anyway to keep it connect while locked when using 3g?

madafaka 

is there an app allowing me set password to be required on wakeup but NOT from screensaver ?

Guy 

I use Lockdown http://www.foozoodesign.com/lockdown.html , password protected, alarm sound, etc....

Charles Rich 

This question was asked several times above, but I don't see any answer:

Is there an app allowing me set password to be required on wakeup but NOT from screensaver ?

Did anyone find an answer?

Alexandra 

If anybody knows how I can block/stop my daughter from using internet  at night ?
I have mac 10.4.11. Can I set time so she can use only between 7 am to 11 pm? Thanks.

Tom 

yes, it is called parenting.

Sean C 

Check out the built in "Lock Screen" feature under the KeyChain manager...

In the KeyChain Access app, open Preferences, choose 'Show Status in Menu Bar', check out the new PadLock icon you have in your menu bar:

  Lock Screen

It uses built in controls, works on all versions of OSX, and is independent of any screen saver/fast-user switching configurations.

Cheers~
  Sean Constantine

Chris Brinker 

I find that the shortcut of: 

  Ctrl + Shift + Eject

  Locks things up just fine without too much trouble. The only downside is that it is a two handed key chord, it would be slightly better if it could be accomplished with a single hand.

Vinessen Andee 

i wanna lock my desktop icons so that my colleagues dont mess with the style i arrange my icons..
any way i can do it? thanks

aidan ortiz 

just use mac lock

thomas sabo 

Honestly, I've always been more of a fan of just putting the monitor to sleep than screen savers. Sure they look pretty awesome, but if you're sitting at your computer, are you really doing so with the screen saver on?Good luck for the dates. It has been some times since we last heard about the next tour. I hope they can run it accordingly now.vLP2jYitxlaNUlEM

headphones 

Honestly, I've always been more of a fan of just putting the monitor to sleep than screen savers. Sure they look pretty awesome, but if you're sitting at your computer, are you really doing so with the screen saver on?Good luck for the dates. It has been some times since we last heard about the next tour. I hope they can run it accordingly now.fSlji9l7vg3NHOc6

Michael Stærmose 

I use Spark and set cmd+l to switch user. Same key combo as on windows. Besides you can use spark to create a lot of keyboard short cuts.

white iphone 4 conversion 

I use Spark and set cmd+l to switch user. Same key combo as on windows. Besides you can use spark to create a lot of keyboard short cuts.

boobby 

files

Genius 

I use Spark and set cmd+l to switch user. Same key combo as on windows. Besides you can use spark to create a lot of keyboard short cuts. Forex Robots

Marisa Kruchten 

then how about missing password of Mac machine?

Poko 

Une fois qu'il a obtenu n'est pas claire. Je l'ai aimé, mais quelque chose manquait. Ne pensez-vous pas? Цирроз печени En Europe et aux Etats-Unis, l'Inde et l'Afrique, tout de même. Mais dans l'Antarctique, en plus, encore et le froid. ядовитые вещества

Polk 

I like to spend my free time ВИЧ инфекция by reading various articles on such thing as tax expenditure oddly enough! Today I came across this post and I found it is as one of the best free resources available! Keep on this quality! Инсульт

Seth 

Theres an app call AirLock that will lock your Mac when your phone (I think it only works for iPhone) is out of range to.

supruser 

Cool tips here. Personally, I use Salling Clicker, AppleScript and IAlertU with my Sony Ericsson phone to do tons of tasks, such as lock mac, manage system volume, change songs etc. Suggest you try it! Especially with IAlertU, just like a car alarm when you lock and unlock it.

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locking is essential. nic one..

Carlos 

This seems to be a good approach. I really like it. I am sure that we can see improvements in this are. yacht charter thailand

John Tinkley 

I've been wondering how to do this for some time now, I've recently switched from Windows OST and have been getting to grips with the Apple OST. Since I've been Working for used car dealers CT and need to protect my computers contence while im not in office.

Joy@Bankruptcy Lawyer Monsey 

I haven't really had the chance to explore this feature and I am interested in finding more ways to maximize the use of my mac.Thanks for the information.

Kristine@psd to wordpress 

I'm oftentimes amazed when I discover something new about my mac desktop. Thanks for the tip.

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  Here those on! 
 
 
P.S. Please review our icons for Windows  and windows13icons.

Greg Baumgartner Attorney 

I know this is a little off topic but is there way to quickly shift between profiles without having to login with a password?  In other words if I'm not worried about people accessing my computer but in speed between switching within the family?  Appreciate any help thanks.

Greg Baumgartner Attorney 

I know this is a little off topic but is there way to quickly shift between profiles without having to login with a password?  In other words if I'm not worried about people accessing my computer but in speed between switching within the family?  Appreciate any help thanks.

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