How to fix Windows 11 lock screen not working

How to fix Windows 11 lock screen not working. The lock screen option can sometimes disappear on Windows 11, making it impossible for you to lock your computer. If you’re having the same problem, try restarting your device, pressing the Windows key and L or Ctrl, Alt, and Delete. If the Lock Screen option is still missing, perform the troubleshooting steps below.

Edit your Registry to enable the lock screen on Windows 11

First, make sure that the Lock screen option is enabled on your device. You can use Registry Editor or Local Group Policy Editor to enable this feature.
Edit your Registry to enable the lock screen on Windows 11:
  1. Click on Search icon and enter Register.
  2. Open Registry Editor application.
  3. Navigate to  Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
  4. Then right click on Windows folder.
  5. Select New → Lock.
  6. Name the new folder  Personalization.
  7. Right click on the  Personalize  folder.
  8. Select Value new → DWORD (32-bit).
  9. Name the new key NoLockScreen.
  10. Make sure its Value data is set to 0 (zero).
  11. Save the settings and restart your computer.
Edit your Registry to enable the lock screen on Windows 11
Edit your Registry to enable the lock screen on Windows 11

Edit GPO settings to enable lock screen on Windows 11

If you’re using Windows 11 Pro, you can also enable the Lock Screen using the Group Policy Editor. Windows 11 Home does not support Group Policy Editor.
  1. Open Editor local group policy local.
  2. Then go to Computer Configuration .
  3. Select Administrative Templates .
  4. Click  Control Panel .
  5. Go to  Personalization .
  6. Double-click Do not show lock screen .
  7. Turn off this policy.
  8. Restart your PC.
Edit GPO settings to enable lock screen on Windows 11
Edit GPO settings to enable lock screen on Windows 11

Repair system files

Corrupt and missing system files can cause all kinds of problems including the Lock Screen problem you are experiencing. Use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool and the System File Checker to automatically detect and repair corrupted system files.

  1. Launch Command Prompt with administrative rights.
  2. Enter the command  DISM.exe / Online / Cleanup-Image / Restorehealth .
  3. Press Enter and wait until your machine finishes running the command.
  4. Then enter the command sfc /scannow .
  5. Restart your computer and check the results.

If the problem persists, try resetting your computer. Make sure to select the option that allows you to keep your files.

Navigate to Settings and select System. Go to Recovery and select Reset this PC. Then select Keep my files.

If there is no Lock Screen on Windows 11, make sure to enable it by adjusting your Registry Editor or GPO settings. Then run DISM and SFC to repair system files. If the problem persists, reset your PC and keep your personal files.

How to Edit lock screen on Windows 11

It’s pretty easy to customize your lock screen on Windows 11. All you need is to go to Settings > Personalization and then select Lock Screen . You will find all the related settings here that you can configure. If you want a description of all the changes you can make, read the instructions below. 

If you want to customize the Lock Screen on your Windows 11 PC, do the following:

1] Decide three modes for your lock screen

Windows 11 lets you choose between three modes for your lock screen. They are Windows spotlight, Picture, and Slideshow

  • Windows spotlight : This is the most sought after lock screen wallpaper by many users. When this feature is enabled, the system will automatically download and set the Bing image as the default background.
  • Picture : Enabling this mode will allow you to place an image on the Lock Screen. You can use existing images or click browse to select a specific image.
  • Slideshow : As the name implies, you can select several images when choosing this setting. Every time you lock the screen, a new picture will appear on it. Of course, the image that will appear will be one of the images you selected earlier.
Decide three modes for your lock screen
Decide three modes for your lock screen

Now that you know what you want with your Lock Screen background, change it by following the instructions below. Let’s see how you can do that.

2] Select photo as default Windows 11 lock screen

To change or configure the lock screen background on Windows 11, do the following:

  • Right-click anywhere on the desktop and select Personalize .
  • The system will redirect you to the Personalization section in Settings.
  • Scroll down and select Lock Screen .
  • Use the drop-down menu next to “ Personalize your lock screen ” and choose between the available options. The options have been discussed in detail above. They are
  • Windows spotlight, Picture, and Slideshow.

Since you are reviewing it, you must be curious to apply a specific image on the lock screen. If that’s the case, select Picture, then Browse photos . Go to the location where you saved the image. Select that and the lock screen background will change automatically.

  • Tick ​​the checkbox next to “Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen”.
Select photo as default Windows 11 lock screen
Select photo as default Windows 11 lock screen

Note : If you want to see this image while on the login screen, turn on the radio button next to “Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen”. However, the selected image will appear as a blurred image on the login screen.

There is another setting that you can configure on the lock screen. And here is the option to show a widget on it. You can choose one of the following: MailWeather, or Calendar. Exit the Settings page and the changes will be applied immediately on your device.

show a widget
show a widget

3] Select Slideshow as default Windows 11 lock screen

To allow viewing of multiple images on the lock screen, do the following:

  • Press Win + I to launch Settings .
  • Select Personalization on the left navigation and switch to the right pane.
  • Use the drop-down menu and select Slideshow this time .
  • Other settings will remain the same. Example: Blur image on login screen, widget selection and all.

Enabling Slideshow opens some advanced settings as well as you can configure the following:

  • Includes Camera roll folders .
  • Limit the use of only images that fit your display.
  • Stop/Resume plays the slideshow when your device is on battery.
  • Show Lock Screen instead of shutting down PC when device is in idle mode.
Select Slideshow as default Windows 11 lock screen
Select Slideshow as default Windows 11 lock screen

Note : You can even predefine a period of time after which the screen will turn off or just keep it on forever.

4] Select Screen Saver

Usually when the screen is off, you will see a black screen. To re-enable it, you must press any key with your keyboard. In case you don’t want the screen to turn off, you can also use Screen Saver. Here’s how to enable the screensaver on a Windows 11 PC –

  • Go to Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen first.
  • Scroll to the bottom and you will find an option “ Related settings ”.
  • In this section, click Screen Saver.
  • The Screen saver settings window will launch next.
  • Use the drop-down menu to select an option and press Apply then OK .
Select Screen Saver
Select Screen Saver

Did you manage to solve the problem? Hopefully the article will be useful to you. Check out more articles on the website to discover more great tech tips.