Windows 8 In Depth

Disabling the Lock Screen

The Lock screen is one of those innovations that seems like a good idea when you first start using it, but then quickly loses its luster the more you come across it. In the case of the Lock screen, the problem is that it forces you to take the extra step of dismissing it before you can sign on:

• Regular PC—Press any key or click the screen

• Tablet PC—Swipe up

If you’ve had to perform this extra task one too many times, and if you don’t find the Lock screen all that useful anyway, you can disable it. This means you don’t see the Lock screen when you start or lock your PC. Instead, Windows 8 takes you directly to the sign-on screen.

Follow these steps to disable the Lock screen:

1. In the Start screen (or the Run dialog ...