Windows 11 can lock your PC automatically when you walk away with a paired Bluetooth phone. The feature is called Dynamic Lock. It monitors the phone’s Bluetooth signal and locks the computer after the signal falls below the expected range, usually within about one minute.
Dynamic Lock is a backup safeguard, not a replacement for Windows + L. It does not lock the PC instantly, does not unlock it when you return, and only works reliably when the computer is idle.
What you need before enabling Dynamic Lock
Dynamic Lock requires:
- A Windows 11 PC with working Bluetooth hardware. A USB Bluetooth adapter can add Bluetooth to a desktop that does not have it built in.
- A Bluetooth-capable phone.
- The phone paired directly with Windows 11. A phone connected through Phone Link is not enough.
- Bluetooth enabled on both devices.
Microsoft documents Dynamic Lock for a paired phone. It is not intended to use arbitrary Bluetooth accessories such as headphones, mice, keyboards, or smartwatches as the proximity device.
Pair your phone with Windows 11
Pair the phone before opening the Dynamic Lock setting. Keep the phone close to the PC during the process.
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Pair through Settings
- Turn on Bluetooth on your phone. If necessary, open the phone’s Bluetooth settings and make it discoverable.
- In Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices.
- Select Devices.
- Select Add device.
- Choose Bluetooth.
- Select your phone when it appears in the list.
- Confirm the pairing code on both devices, then select Done if Windows displays that option.
After pairing, check that the phone appears under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices. Merely seeing a phone during discovery does not mean it has been paired.
Pair through Quick Settings
- Enable Bluetooth on the phone and make it discoverable.
- Select the Network, Sound, or Battery icon beside the Windows clock.
- Select the Manage Bluetooth devices chevron next to the Bluetooth control.
- Under New devices, select the phone.
- Complete the pairing confirmation on the PC and phone.
Turn on Dynamic Lock
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Accounts.
- Select Sign-in options.
- Expand Dynamic lock.
- Turn on Allow Windows to lock your device automatically when you’re away.
Depending on your Windows interface or accessibility settings, the control may appear as a checkbox rather than a standard switch.
Test Dynamic Lock
- Leave the phone paired and connected to the PC.
- Return to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and confirm that Dynamic Lock is enabled.
- Leave the PC idle.
- Walk away while carrying the phone until it is outside the PC’s effective Bluetooth range.
- Wait up to approximately one minute.
Windows should lock the computer when the phone’s Bluetooth signal falls below the configured threshold. Before relying on the feature, press Windows + L to verify that your normal Windows lock and sign-in process works correctly.
How Dynamic Lock determines that you have left
Dynamic Lock does not use a guaranteed distance such as 10 feet or 30 feet. It evaluates the phone’s Bluetooth Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). Walls, furniture, radio interference, the PC’s Bluetooth adapter, and the phone itself can all change the effective range.
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Microsoft’s default Dynamic Lock rule is:
<rule schemaVersion="1.0">
<signal type="bluetooth"
scenario="Dynamic Lock"
classOfDevice="512"
rssiMin="-10"
rssiMaxDelta="-10"/>
</rule>The classOfDevice="512" value identifies a phone. Microsoft recommends keeping the default values because Bluetooth signal measurements vary between hardware and environments.
Important limitations
- It is not instant. Microsoft says locking normally occurs within about one minute after the phone leaves Bluetooth range.
- The PC must be idle. Dynamic Lock is designed to respond when the signal drops while the system is idle; it should not be treated as a guaranteed response to every Bluetooth interruption.
- It does not unlock the PC. When you return with the phone, you must sign in using your configured Windows authentication method.
- It is not a replacement for manual locking. Use Windows + L whenever you leave sensitive work unattended.
- Distance is not predictable. A phone may remain within effective Bluetooth range through a wall, or lose a usable signal sooner than expected in a different room.
Fix Dynamic Lock when the option is missing
If Dynamic lock does not appear under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, work through these checks:
- Confirm that the PC has Bluetooth hardware and that Bluetooth is turned on.
- Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices and confirm that the phone is paired.
- Restart Bluetooth on both the phone and PC.
- Restart Windows and check the Sign-in options page again.
- Install the latest Bluetooth driver from Device Manager or your PC manufacturer.
Some Windows sign-in settings are unavailable on certain device configurations. A work or school administrator may also hide or control Dynamic Lock.
Fix a greyed-out Dynamic Lock setting
If Windows says that your organization controls the option, a policy may be disabling or managing it. Administrators can find the relevant Group Policy setting here:
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Computer Configuration
> Administrative Templates
> Windows Components
> Windows Hello for Business
> Configure dynamic lock factorsOn a managed computer, contact the organization’s IT administrator rather than changing policy settings yourself.
Fix a phone that does not appear during pairing
Try the following:
- Turn on Bluetooth on both devices.
- Put the phone into pairing or discoverable mode.
- Move the phone close to the PC.
- Make sure the phone has sufficient battery.
- Turn off Airplane mode on the PC.
- Change Windows Bluetooth discovery to Advanced.
To change discovery, open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices. Under Device settings > Bluetooth devices discovery, select Advanced. The default setting shows common Bluetooth devices; Advanced displays all types of Bluetooth devices.
Fix a phone that appears but will not connect
Remove the existing pairing and create it again:
- Open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices.
- Find the phone.
- Select More options (…) > Remove device.
- Select Add device > Bluetooth.
- Pair the phone again.
If that fails, check the phone’s battery, toggle Bluetooth off and on, and restart the PC.
Fix Dynamic Lock when it does not trigger
First, wait the full minute and make sure the PC is idle. If it remains unlocked, check these likely causes:
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- The phone is still within effective Bluetooth range.
- The Bluetooth signal has not fallen below the RSSI threshold.
- A wall, radio-interference source, Bluetooth driver, or adapter is affecting the signal unpredictably.
- The phone’s battery-saving behavior is interrupting Bluetooth.
- The wrong Bluetooth device was paired or expected. Dynamic Lock is designed around the paired phone, not a nearby accessory.
Test in a different location and walk farther away than you did during the first test. Because RSSI varies by environment, a test that works in one room may behave differently in an office or another floor of a building.
Fix Bluetooth that keeps disconnecting
Repeated Bluetooth disconnections can prevent a dependable Dynamic Lock test. Microsoft’s recommended troubleshooting sequence is:
- Run the automated Bluetooth troubleshooter in the Get Help app.
- Temporarily turn off Energy Saver if it appears to interfere with Bluetooth.
- Open Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, right-click the Bluetooth device, and select Properties.
- Open the Power Management tab and clear Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, if the tab and option are available.
- Press Windows + R, enter
services.msc, and restart Bluetooth Support Service. - Update the Bluetooth driver through Device Manager or the PC manufacturer’s support page.
Deploy Dynamic Lock with Group Policy
Administrators can configure Dynamic Lock for managed Windows PCs by enabling Configure dynamic lock factors at:
Computer Configuration
> Administrative Templates
> Windows Components
> Windows Hello for Business
> Configure dynamic lock factorsThe policy creates a Bluetooth signal rule. Retain Microsoft’s default values unless testing shows that a change is necessary, and test the rule in the actual office or deployment environment before applying it broadly.
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FAQ
Does Dynamic Lock lock Windows 11 instantly?
No. Microsoft says it normally locks the PC within about one minute after the paired phone leaves Bluetooth range. The computer must also be idle.
Can Dynamic Lock automatically unlock my PC?
No. Dynamic Lock only locks the PC. Returning with the phone does not automatically sign you in.
Can I use headphones or a smartwatch with Dynamic Lock?
Microsoft documents Dynamic Lock for a paired phone. It is not documented as supporting arbitrary Bluetooth accessories such as headphones, mice, keyboards, or smartwatches.
Does Dynamic Lock work through Phone Link?
No. The phone must be paired directly with Windows under Bluetooth & devices. A Phone Link connection by itself is not sufficient.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhy does Dynamic Lock sometimes fail to lock my PC?
The PC may not be idle, the phone may still be within effective Bluetooth range, or the Bluetooth signal may not have fallen below the configured RSSI threshold. Phone power-saving behavior, interference, and Bluetooth drivers can also affect the result.
The Bottom Line
Enable Dynamic Lock from Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options after pairing your phone under Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices. Test it while the PC is idle, allow up to a minute for the lock to occur, and keep using Windows + L for immediate protection. Dynamic Lock is useful as an automatic fallback, but Bluetooth range and signal strength are too variable for it to be your only security measure.
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