How to prevent Windows 10 from requiring a password when resuming from sleep

Windows 10 offers a number of features to keep your computer and data secure. One way the operating system protects your device from unauthorized access is by keeping it locked on certain events, including when waking up from sleep.

Although entering a password to unlock your device after resuming from sleep can keep things more secure, if you use your computer at home, and you're the only person using it, a password prompt at wake up can simply be an inconvenient extra step (unless you have something to hide).

Fortunately, Windows 10 offers at least three ways to disable the password prompt after resuming from sleep to help you quickly get to your desktop.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to stop your computer from asking you to enter a password after resuming from sleep using the Settings app, Group Policy Editor, and Command Prompt.

How to skip password prompt after sleep using Settings

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Sign-in options.

4. Under "Require sign-in," choose Never from the drop-down menu to complete the task.

   

Once you completed the steps, you'll no longer be required to enter a password after waking up Windows 10 from sleep.

To go back to the previous option, follow the same steps, but on step 4, make sure to select the When PC wakes up from sleep option.

How to skip password prompt after sleep using Group Policy

While the Settings app makes it super easy to change whether or not to skip entering the password when waking up your computer, if you use a laptop, you only get one option. You can't choose to stop requiring a password when your device is running on battery or plugged in individually.

If you're running Windows 10 Pro, you can use the Group Policy Editor to stop the operating system from requiring a password when your laptop is running on battery or plugged in.

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Type gpedit.msc and click OK to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Power Management > Sleep Settings

4. Double-click the policy you want to enforce: Require a password when a computer wakes (on battery) or Require a password when a computer wakes (Plugged in).

   

5. Check the Disable option in the top-left corner.
6. Click Apply.

7. Click OK to complete the task.

   

After completing the steps, depending on what you picked, your computer will bypass the Sign-in screen and go straight to the desktop when resuming from sleep.

If you want to revert the changes, simply follow the same steps, but this time on step 5 select the option Not configured.

How to skip password prompt after sleep using Command Prompt

If you're running Windows 10 Home, you won't have access to the Local Group Policy Editor, as it's only available on business variants of the operating system, including Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education, but you can still get the same result using Command Prompt.

To disable the require sign-in option when Windows 10 wakes up, do the following:

1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu, and select Command Prompt (admin).

2. If you want to disable the sign-in option while your device is running on battery, type the following command and press Enter:

   powercfg /SETDCVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 0

   If you want to disable the sign-in option while your device is plugged in, type the following command and press Enter:

   powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 0

   

To enable the require sign-in option when Windows 10 wakes up, do the following:

1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu, and select Command Prompt (admin).

2. If you want to enable the sign-in option while your device is running on battery, type the following command and press Enter:

   powercfg /SETDCVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 1

   If you want to disable the sign-in option while your device is plugged in, type the following command and press Enter:

   powercfg /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 1

Wrapping things up

Note that in previous versions of the operating system you were able to change the sign-on option on wakeup using Control Panel, but now it's not longer the case. Microsoft continues to move forward migrating features and options from Control Panel to the Settings app, and the "Require a password on wakeup" is one of many options that has been deprecated from the latest version of Windows 10.

It's worth pointing out that removing the option the password requirement while resuming from wake up will also prevent Windows 10 from requiring a password after resuming from hibernation.

How do you have the password requirement configured on your Windows 10 PC? Tell us in the comments below.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central