Why should I lock my computer screen?

Locking your computer screen is one of the simplest and easiest steps you can take to be more cyber safe today. Locking your screen prevents anyone else from accessing your computer, including your emails, files and confidential information.

Ever seen a new face hanging around the office and assumed they were a new staff member in a different team? Or spotted a person in overalls and assumed they were here to fix the leaky tap? How about a person in a vendor-branded shirt and assumed they were visiting a colleague?

This doesn’t just happen in movies – that person could be a malicious actor sniffing out opportunities to steal private or company data or download malicious software to your computer.

Even a cheeky colleague might not be able to resist sending an email from your email account or checking in on your calendar appointments.

When should I lock my screen?

Get into the habit of locking your screen every single time you leave your desk – even to simply collect the printing or fill your water bottle.

Remember it can take 60 days for a habit to form, so try challenging yourself to keep it up for two whole months and you’ll never have to think about it again.

Working in a public place? Never leave your devices unattended, even for a moment. Take them with you if you need to get up.

How do I lock my screen?

Windows

You can lock your screen by either:

• clicking the 'Windows' key on your keyboard + L (or Command + L if using an Apple keyboard in Windows) or
• clicking on the Start Menu, then clicking your user icon, then clicking "Lock".

MacOS

You can lock your screen by either:

• clicking Control + Command + L or
• clicking on the Apple logo in the top left, then clicking "Lock Screen".