How to Disable the Lock Screen in Windows 11 (Boot to Desktop)

When you turn on a Windows 11 computer, you are greeted by two different screens before you can actually start working. First, the Lock Screen appears (displaying the time, date, and a pretty wallpaper). You must click your mouse or swipe the screen to dismiss it. Only then does the Login Screen appear, where you type your password or scan your fingerprint.

If you use a desktop PC at home and you are the only person who uses it, that initial lock screen is nothing more than an annoying, unnecessary extra click standing between you and your desktop.

Fortunately, you can completely disable the lock screen so that your computer boots directly to the password prompt. Because Microsoft does not provide a simple toggle for this in the Settings app, you must use the Registry Editor to make the change.

How to Disable the Lock Screen via Registry Editor

The Registry Editor is a powerful tool that controls the underlying architecture of Windows. Follow these steps exactly as written, and do not delete any other files while you are in the editor.

1. Click the Start button on your taskbar, type regedit into the search bar, and press Enter.
2. When the User Account Control warning pops up, click Yes to allow the app to make changes.
3. The Registry Editor will open. You will see a list of folders on the left side of the screen. Look near the top of the window for the address bar (it should say “Computer”).
4. Delete whatever is currently in the address bar, paste the following exact path into the bar, and press Enter: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
5. Look at the folders on the left side of the screen. Right-click on the Windows folder, hover over New, and select Key.
6. Name the new folder exactly: Personalization and press Enter. (Note: You must use the American spelling with a ‘z’, otherwise Windows will not recognise the command).
7. Click on your newly created Personalization folder to ensure it is selected.
8. Now, right-click anywhere in the large empty white space on the right side of the window. Hover over New and select DWORD (32-bit) Value.
9. Name this new file exactly: NoLockScreen and press Enter.
10. Double-click the new NoLockScreen file you just created.
11. A small box will appear. Under “Value data”, change the number from 0 to 1.
12. Click OK.

You can now safely close the Registry Editor. To verify that it worked, press the Windows Key + L to lock your computer. You will notice that Windows bypasses the wallpaper clock screen entirely and drops you directly onto the password login screen.

How to Reverse the Process

If you ever change your mind and want the lock screen back (for example, if you buy a touchscreen monitor and enjoy swiping the screen away), reverting the change is incredibly simple.

Open the Registry Editor, paste the exact same path (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization) into the address bar, double-click the NoLockScreen file, change the Value data back to 0, and click OK.