Using a MacBook can be troublesome when the screen locks automatically every few seconds. What if the device locks when streaming your favourite video or writing emails? Unlocking the laptop, again and again, can be annoying.
So, you must know how to turn off Auto Lock on Mac to solve the issue. Auto-Lock is an essential security function that every Mac laptop features. Though it prevents unauthorised users from accessing your MacBook, it can be problematic sometimes. Thus, we recommended disabling this feature for hassle-free laptop use.
Your MacBook screen can be locked automatically for several reasons. Did you enable the screen-saver mode? It can be why your MacBook screen automatically goes to the lock screen. Enabled hot corners on your Mac laptop can also generate this problem.
Let’s learn the easy troubleshooting methods to fix the auto lock on your MacBook:
Why Does MacBook Screen Go to Lock Screen Automatically?
Several reasons can trigger the auto lock problem in your MacBook. The incorrect energy saver feature can lock the Mac laptop screen after a few minutes of inactivity. Sometimes, this problem can be caused by third-party utilities.
Besides, an Intel or Apple Silicon-based MacBook can go to the lock screen automatically due to a problem in the user account. You can also encounter this for corrupted system files.
Whatever the reason, you can easily fix the auto-lock Mac problem without any external help. Hence, don’t contact a professional in the first place. Try out the D-I-Y solutions to stop your MacBook from locking automatically.
3 Easy Solutions to Fix Your MacBook’s Auto-Lock Problem
Fortunately, you can implement plenty of solutions to fix your MacBook’s auto-lock error. Sometimes, this problem can be caused by a minor software glitch. Restarting your Mac laptop can help you to eliminate the problem.
Follow these solutions if the auto-lock issue on your MacBook persists:
1. Disable Hot Corners on your MacBook
A Mac laptop’s hot corners let you start actions quickly by moving the pointer to a corner. For instance, you can start the screen saver time when you move the pointer to the Mac screen’s top-left corner. Additionally, you can lock the Mac laptop screen when moving the pointer to the top-right corner.
Disabling the screen saver option from your Mac’s hot corner will help you to fix the problem. Click the Apple icon from the device’s menu bar and choose “System Preferences” or “System Settings” from the pop-up menu.
Write “desktop” in the navigation panel and press the Enter button. Select “Desktop and Screensaver” from the options list. Navigate to the “Screen Saver” menu and select “Hot Corners” from the next window. A list will appear on your Mac laptop screen.
Check if the “Put Display to Sleep” option is enabled. If the option is on, it is why your Mac laptop is locking automatically. Disable the Hot Corner by selecting “no-action” from the options list.
Click on “Done” after choosing the correct option to turn off Hot Corner. Restart your MacBook from the Apple menu and check if the MacBook is locking the screen after a few seconds. If not, you have successfully resolved the auto-lock issue on your MacBook.
2. Turn off Auto-Lock from System Preferences
Are you unfamiliar with the Mac interface? You might need to learn how to turn off auto lock on Mac. Regardless of your laptop’s macOS, you can turn off auto-lock using System Preferences. Access the Apple menu and select “System Preferences” or “System Settings” from the pop-up menu.
Locate the Lock Screen option from the options list. Increase the screen saver time to prevent the MacBook from locking in every second.
Additionally, you can disable the screen saver feature to eliminate the auto-lock problem. Alternatively, users can decide not to provide a password on the Mac screen when not using it too long.
3. Reset Your MacBook’s Screen Time-Out Time
MacBook owners can set the time when they want to turn off the screen. There are two screen time-out settings available on every Apple laptop.
One is for changing the Mac screen time-out while on battery, and the other one is to change the same settings when the device is connected to the adapter. Here, we have mentioned the two ways to reset the Mac laptop’s screen timeout:
How to do a Screen Time-Out Change on MacBook While on Battery?
Click the Apple icon and choose “System Preferences” or “System Settings” from the menu. Head towards “Battery” and go to the Battery tab when the new window opens. Click on “Turn off display after” and select a time when you want the screen to lock.
Set the time to 1 or 3 hours when playing games or watching movies. Select “15 minutes” from the screen time-out options if you listen to music from any app. Don’t set the screen timeout to “1 minute”; otherwise, the device will be locked in every minute.
How to do a Screen Time-Out Change after Connecting the MacBook Adapter?
Access the Apple menu and select “System Preferences” from the pop-up menu. Head to the Battery tab and scroll to “Power Adapter” from the options list. You will now see the screen timeout options on the screen.
Choose “Never” to stop your MacBook from locking when editing videos or working on documents. You can also set the timer to “1 hour” or “3 hours” to prevent the device from automatically unlocking every second or minute.
Is there any other way to adjust the MacBook Screen Saver Timing?
You can change the lock screen timing from your Mac laptop’s screen saver tab. However, you just access the System Preferences window for these adjustments. Thus, click the Apple icon and choose “System Preferences” when the pop-up menu appears.
Choose “Desktop & Screen Saver” when the new window opens. Move towards the Screen Saver tab and enable the “Show screen saver after” option. Put a tick mark next to this option to reset the lock screen timing.
Choose your preferred time when you want the Mac display to turn off. Close the “Desktop & Screen Saver” window and reboot your MacBook. Open any video and try watching it on your Intel or Apple Silicon-based Mac laptop. The screen won’t be locked automatically within a second if you choose the highest screen saver time.
Lastly, Disable the Energy Saver Mode
Turning off the Energy Saver mode on your MacBook will help you to fix the auto-lock problem. You can disable this built-in Mac laptop feature from System Preferences or System Settings.
Do you have an old MacBook Air or Pro? Click on the Apple logo from the Mac desktop and choose “System Settings” from the pop-up menu. Go to “Energy Saver” and move its toggle from right to left to disable it.
However, new Intel and M2-powered MacBook users must access the Apple menu. Go for “System Preferences” from the drop-down list and click “Energy Saver”.
You can either adjust the time when you want your MacBook screen to turn off automatically. Or, you can turn off the Energy Saver option to resolve the auto-lock error. Contact an expert if the MacBook locks the screen automatically after disabling this feature.
