Image: Tadas Sar / Unsplash
While traveling this holiday season, security is probably the last thing on your mind—outside of keeping your laptop from being stolen. But snoops can be as much of a problem as thieves.
Fortunately, it takes just seconds to lock down your PC whenever you want to step away. Just press these two keys: Win + L. Anyone who wants access to your computer will then need to unlock it for use.
If you’ve set up Windows Hello, securing your PC before you step away won’t be inconvenient. You’ll be able to quickly get back into your account with biometrics (when supported by your computer hardware) or a PIN.
I personally like this shortcut best since I have full control and am guaranteed the PC is locked. Sometimes I want to guard my work extra carefully—or to protect myself from pranks. (I know this shortcut because early in my career, a colleague would change the settings on unsuspecting coworkers’ PCs for fun). But you can also automate the process based on your proximity (or your phone’s) to your computer.
If you like this Windows keyboard shortcut, be sure to check out some other useful ones that exist. I recently blew a friend’s mind with a variation for taking screenshots—he commented for days after that he wish he’d known it years ago.
Author: Alaina Yee, Senior Editor, PCWorld
A 14-year veteran of technology and video games journalism, Alaina Yee covers a variety of topics for PCWorld. Since joining the team in 2016, she’s written about CPUs, Windows, PC building, Chrome, Raspberry Pi, and much more—while also serving as PCWorld’s resident bargain hunter (#slickdeals). Currently her focus is on security, helping people understand how best to protect themselves online. Her work has previously appeared in PC Gamer, IGN, Maximum PC, and Official Xbox Magazine.
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