Password Protection on Wakeup - Enable or Disable in Windows 8

How to Enable or Disable Password Protection on Wakeup in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable to require a password on wakeup from sleep for all users in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

If enabled, when your computer wakes from sleep, users must enter a password to unlock the computer.

If disabled, when your computer wakes from sleep, the computer will resume unlocked back to how it was before going to sleep without users having to first enter a password.

   Tip

You may also wish to set:

How to Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows 7 and Windows 8

How to Have Windows 8 Log On to a User Account Automatically at Startup

How to Require a Password after Display is Off for Specified Time in Windows 8.1

EXAMPLE: Password Protection on Wakeup Enabled

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OPTION ONE

Enable or Disable "Require Password on Wakeup" in Power Options

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1. Open your Advanced Power Plan Settings, and click tap on the Change settings that are currently unavailable link.​

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2. If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.​

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3. Do step 4 or 5 below for what you would like to do.​

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4. To Disable Require Password on Wakeup​

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A) Change the Require a password on wakeup setting(s) to No , and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)​

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5. To Enable Require Password on Wakeup​

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A) Change the Require a password on wakeup setting(s) to Yes , and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)​

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OPTION TWO

Enable or Disable "Require Password on Wakeup" in System Settings

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1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Power Options icon.​

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2. In the left pane, click/tap on the Require a password on wakeup link. (see screenshot below)​

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3. Click/tap on the Change settings that are currently unavailable link. (see screenshot below)​

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4. If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.​

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5. Do step 6 or 7 below for what you would like to do.​

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6. To Disable Require Password on Wakeup​

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A) Select (dot) the Require a password setting, click/tap on Save changes, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below step 7)​

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7. To Enable Require Password on Wakeup​

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A) Select (dot) the Don't require a password setting, click/tap on Save changes, and go to step 8 below. (see screenshot below)​

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8. When finished, you can close the Power Options window if you like. (see screenshot below step 2)​

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OPTION THREE

Enable or Disable "Require Password on Wakeup" in PC settings

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1. Open PC settings, and do step 2 or 3 below for what Windows 8 you have.​

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2. In Windows 8 or Windows RT, click/tap on Users in the left pane, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below step 5A or 6A)​

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3. In Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, click/tap on Accounts on the left side, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)​

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4. Do step 5 or 6 below for what you would like to do.​

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5. To Disable Require Password on Wakeup​

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A) In Windows 8 or Windows RT, click/tap on the Change button under "Any user who has a password must enter it when waking this PC" on the right side under Sign-in options, and go to step 5C below. (see screenshot below)​

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B) In Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, click/tap on Sign-in options on the left side, click/tap on Change under Password policy, and go to step 5C below. (see screenshot below)​

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NOTE: If the Change button is grayed out, then it means that you have UAC set to the Always notify top level instead of the default level.​

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C) Click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshots below)​

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6. To Enable Require Password on Wakeup​

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A) In Windows 8 or Windows RT, click/tap on the Change button under "Any user who has a password doesn't need to enter it when waking this PC" on the right side under Sign-in options, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)​

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B) In Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, click/tap on Sign-in options on the left side, click/tap on Change under Password policy, and go to 7 below. (see screenshot below)​

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NOTE: If the Change button is grayed out, then it means that you have UAC set to the Always notify top level instead of the default level.​

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7. When finished, you can close PC settings if you like.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Create an Accounts Sign-in Options Shortcut in Windows 8.1
• How to Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Change the Lock Screen Timeout Period in Windows 8
• How to Require a Password after Display is Off for Specified Time in Windows 8.1
• How to Change Power Plan Settings in Windows 8
• How to Sign in to Windows 8
• How to Always Show "All Users" or "Last User" in Windows 8 Sign in
• How to Set Windows 8 to Require Users to Sign in with User Name and Password
• How to Enable or Disable the Lock Screen in Windows 8
• How to Have Windows 8 Log On to a User Account Automatically at Startup
• How Enable or Disable Secure Sign-in with Ctrl+Alt+Delete in Windows 8
• How to Create a Password for a User Account in Windows 8
• How to Create, Change, or Remove a Picture Password in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Add or Remove Fingerprints for Your Account in Windows 8.1
• How to Create, Change, or Remove a PIN for Your Account in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Enable or Disable the Password Reveal Button in Windows 8

 

[elbmek]

I have done this several times and it STILL asks me for the damn password

 

[Brink]

Hello Elbmek,

Exactly when does it ask for a password? This is critical for what it may be instead.

 

[elbmek]

Hi Brink. I have a win 8 pc, see specs. I have 4 users, 3 of whom are admin powered. Two do not require a password when logging in - eg: click on user name/icon. I do, its very annoying and I do not want it, but it insisted I initially log in with my live mail id when I upgraded, now I cant get rid of it.

 

[Brink]

Hi Brink. I have a win 8 pc, see specs. I have 4 users, 3 of whom are admin powered. Two do not require a password when logging in - eg: click on user name/icon. I do, its very annoying and I do not want it, but it insisted I initially log in with my live mail id when I upgraded, now I cant get rid of it.

If this is at startup only, then the tutorial below can show you how to set Windows to sign in to an account of your choice automatically at startup.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2894-log-user-account-automatically-windows-8-startup.html

 

[elbmek]

Cheers, will check it out when I get up later today. 8 is at home, I am at work.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. I hope it'll work for you.

 

[elbmek]

Brink, many thanks, it now opens directly into my account - whether I want to or not, so - taking it a stage further - how do we set Win 8 to open on the users screen, so that any one of my four users can take it from there and open their own, instead of waiting for mine to open so they can then click on my icon and open theirs?

 

[elbmek]

Well, that didn't last long. Changed user, went back to me and OI! Stick yer password in!

 

[elbmek]

sorted. changed to local account

 

[Brink]

Elbmek,

Yeah, anytime you "switch user" or "sign out", it will take you to the sign on screen where you would select a user account to sign in as. You would then only have to type in a password of the user account if it has one created for it. A Microsoft account will always have a password for it.

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[EvilBowser]

Okay, I have two problems with Windows 8. First is that I have it set up where you don't require password on wake-up. However, when we wake the computer up, we still require a password to get back in.

I also set display to where it won't shut off for 30 minutes and sleep mode won't activate after 1 hour. Well, my wife (owner of the Windows 8) is using taking with skype, because of this, the computer believes she is not using the computer. Even though the monitor is set to not go off after 30 minutes, it still wants to go off after about 2 minutes.

I have looked to see how to not make the computer go to idle after only 2 minutes, but I only came up with a solution where you have to download a program. I don't think I should have to download a program just to keep the computer from going into idle mode even after all the other settings have been made to insure this doesn't happen. I also should not require a password after waking up the computer from idle when that option is selected not to happen.

 

[Brink]

Hello Bowser, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Double check using OPTION TWO in the tutorial to make sure that the Don't require a password setting is selected (dotted) here as well to see if that may help.

Next, double check the screen saver settings to make sure it's set to (None), and that the On resume, display logon screen box is unchecked.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[EvilBowser]

Hello Bowser, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Double check using OPTION TWO in the tutorial to make sure that the Don't require a password setting is selected (dotted) here as well to see if that may help.

Next, double check the screen saver settings to make sure it's set to (None), and that the On resume, display logon screen box is unchecked.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks Shawn, that seems to have been the problem. Even though we had the options set up to where we didn't need the password, because the login screen was brought up after screen saver went active, the setting of not requiring a password was bypassed completely. Thanks for your help.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Bowser. I'm happy to hear it was able to help.

 

[Bouncer]

I have tried the above steps but I still have to enter password when coming out of sleep mode. any other suggestions? I would sure appreciate an y help I am new to windows 8

 

[Brink]

Hello Bouncer, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Double check the items in the yellow Tip box at the top of the tutorial to see if one of them may be responsible.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Bouncer]

Thanks Shawn,
I took your advice and it worked problem solved
John

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome John. I'm glad it was able to sort it for you.

 

[Jiia]

None of the solutions work for me. The buttons are grayed out in all scenarios so I'm unable to change them.

My computer has Windows 8.1 Home Premium OEM installed which might be the reason it's locked. The only way that I've been able to disable the password query is through registry but the keys keep resetting after every update. I'm just going to install retail Win 8.1 Pro so it doesn't have these arbitrary OEM restrictions.