How To Increase Your Screensaver Timeout

By Ryan Williams, TechBetter.com - This tech tip is not going to be very profound, however, it is a common question, and it was submitted by a loyal reader so I am going to address it. The reader wants to know how to increase the screensaver timeout on her computer so she does not have to relogin to Windows quite so often. As a general rule of thumb, it is a bad idea to extend your screensaver timeout past 20 minutes. Any longer than this and you begin to defeat the purpose of having a screensaver password which is to prevent someone from coming behind you and accessing your computer after you leave it. So, if it is important that you have a password on your computer, as in a business or public setting, then I suggest not increasing your timeout past 20 minutes (I actually suggest 10 minutes). However, for a home computer, strangers sitting down at your computer and attempting to access your files is less of an issue (if strangers sitting at your home computer is an issue, stop reading this tech tip and call 911). Therefore, increasing the screensaver timeout and/or removing the screensaver password from a home computer is more acceptable.

Step By Step

1. Right click on the computer desktop where there are no icons. This will pull up a context menu. On the context menu click the ‘Personalize’ option.
Corresponding Image: http://www.techbetter.com/ttimage.aspx?image=screensavertimeout1.gif

2. On the next window that opens, click on the ‘Screen Saver’ option.
Corresponding Image: http://www.techbetter.com/ttimage.aspx?image=screensavertimeout2.gif

3. This will open the ‘Screen Saver Settings’ windows. On this window you will see the location to increase the timeout for the screen saver. Mine is currently set to 10 minutes.
Corresponding Image: http://www.techbetter.com/ttimage.aspx?image=screensavertimeout3.gif

4. If you would like to completely remove the screen saver from requiring a password when you return to your computer, then uncheck the ‘On resume, display logon screen’. If this box is not checked, then you will not be prompted for a password again.
Corresponding Image: http://www.techbetter.com/ttimage.aspx?image=screensavertimeout4.gif

Happy Teching,

Ryan Williams

Ask Me A Tech Question
http://www.techbetter.com/question.aspx

About Me & TechBetter
http://www.techbetter.com/aboutme.aspx