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To lock a Mac immediately, press Control-Command-Q (⌃⌘Q). To put the displays to sleep from a built-in keyboard without Touch ID, press Control-Shift-Power. These are different actions: locking protects access to your session, while display sleep turns off the displays.

Lock your Mac immediately

Press Control-Command-Q (⌃⌘Q). You can also choose Apple menu > Lock Screen. Both lock the screen without shutting down the Mac. Apple lists the keyboard combination as “Lock your screen” in its Mac keyboard shortcuts.

Other options, depending on your Mac and settings, include pressing Touch ID, using a Lock Screen button on some Magic Keyboards, or moving the pointer to a Hot Corner configured for Lock Screen. You can unlock with a key and your password, Touch ID where supported, or Apple Watch.

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Turn off the display without shutting down

On a built-in keyboard without Touch ID, press Control-Shift-Power to put the displays to sleep. Apple documents this shortcut for that keyboard configuration; it is not the same as locking the screen.

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Power-button behavior differs by hardware. On a keyboard with Touch ID, pressing the button locks the screen. On a built-in keyboard without Touch ID, holding the power button for 1.5 seconds puts the Mac to sleep. Because those actions depend on the keyboard, use the documented display-sleep shortcut when it applies rather than treating a long press as a universal screen-off command.

Set up a Hot Corner to lock with the pointer

  1. Open System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Hot Corners.
  2. Choose a corner and set its action to Lock Screen.
  3. Click Done.

To prevent accidental activation, hold Command, Shift, Option, Control, or a combination of those keys while selecting the Hot Corner action; the modifier will be required when you move the pointer to that corner. The bottom-right corner is assigned to Quick Note by default, so selecting it for Lock Screen replaces that behavior. See Apple’s Hot Corners instructions.

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Turn the display off automatically after inactivity

Open System Settings > Lock Screen. Set the inactive display-off interval for battery use and, separately, for when the Mac is connected to a power adapter. The available choices can vary by macOS version and configuration, so select from the options shown on your Mac.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Choose when a password is required

In System Settings > Lock Screen, adjust Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off. This setting controls how soon macOS asks for a password after the screen saver starts or the display turns off; choose the delay that suits your security and convenience needs. Apple documents the setting in its Lock Screen settings and password-after-wake guidance.

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What locking does—and does not—protect

Locking prevents someone from using your open session without unlocking it, but it does not stop another person from turning off or restarting the Mac. Save work that is not automatically saved before leaving the computer unattended.

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  • 【Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces】- The MacBook Air Privacy Screen Filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports, and public areas.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.