To stop Windows asking for credentials after sleep, change the active power plan’s CONSOLELOCK value to 0 for both AC and battery power. Open Windows Terminal, Command Prompt, or PowerShell as administrator, run the two commands below, and reapply the plan if the change is not reflected immediately.
Use Powercfg to remove the wake-password prompt
The setting that controls authentication when a computer resumes from sleep is the hidden LockConsoleOnWake policy. Powercfg exposes it through the alias CONSOLELOCK. An index of 0 disables the prompt; an index of 1 enables it.
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- Open Windows Terminal, Command Prompt, or PowerShell with administrator privileges. In Windows, right-click the application and choose Run as administrator, then approve the elevation prompt.
- Optionally display the plan currently in use:
powercfg /getactiveschemeThe command returns the active scheme identifier and name. Using
SCHEME_CURRENTin the next commands targets that active plan without requiring you to copy its GUID.Free tools Windows power users keep installed
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Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. - Disable the prompt when the computer is connected to AC power:
powercfg /setacvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 0 - Disable it when the computer is running from battery (DC power):
powercfg /setdcvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 0 - If Windows does not show the new behavior immediately, reapply the active plan:
powercfg /setactive SCHEME_CURRENT
After these commands, put the PC to sleep and resume it. With the policy disabled, Windows should return to the desktop rather than stopping at the secure sign-in desktop. The commands alter the selected power plan; they do not change the password on your account.
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Why there are separate AC and battery commands
Windows stores power-plan settings separately for AC (plugged-in) and DC (battery) operation. /setacvalueindex writes the AC value, while /setdcvalueindex writes the DC value. Setting only one leaves the other power state unchanged, which is why a laptop can stop asking for a password while plugged in but continue asking when unplugged.
| Power state | Powercfg command | Result when the index is 0 |
|---|---|---|
| AC, mains power | powercfg /setacvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 0 |
No password prompt on resume while connected to AC |
| DC, battery power | powercfg /setdcvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 0 |
No password prompt on resume while running on battery |
| Both states | Run both commands | Consistent wake behavior regardless of power source |
On a desktop that is effectively always plugged in, the AC command is the one that affects normal use. On a notebook, run both commands if you want the same behavior in every location.
What CONSOLELOCK actually changes
Microsoft defines the policy as specifying “whether the user must enter a password at the secure desktop when the system resumes from sleep.” The policy’s full identifier is 0e796bdb-100d-47d6-a2d5-f7d2daa51f51, while CONSOLELOCK is the Powercfg alias used on the command line.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWith value 0, the resume path bypasses that wake-authentication step and returns to the desktop. With value 1, Windows resumes to the secure desktop and requires authentication. Microsoft states that this setting is enabled by default on all Windows desktop editions, so a newly configured PC normally asks for credentials after sleep until the value is changed.
The change applies to resuming from sleep. It does not remove your account password, alter Windows Hello enrollment, or turn off every kind of lock. If you explicitly lock Windows, that lock remains an authentication event.
Graphical alternative in Control Panel
If you prefer not to use a command line, Windows may expose the same policy through the classic power-options interface:
- Open Control Panel.
- Choose Power Options.
- Select Require a password on wake up.
- Under Password protection on wake up, select Don’t require a password.
- Apply the change and close the dialog.
The graphical entry is not available on every configuration. When it is missing, the elevated Powercfg method is the direct way to set the policy. The graphical choice also represents the wake-authentication setting; it is not a display-timeout control.
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How to read each part of the command
| Element | Purpose |
|---|---|
powercfg |
Windows’ built-in power-configuration utility. |
/setacvalueindex |
Sets a setting’s index for AC power. |
/setdcvalueindex |
Sets a setting’s index for DC or battery power. |
SCHEME_CURRENT |
Refers to the power plan that is active when the command runs. |
SUB_NONE |
The subgroup argument used for this policy. |
CONSOLELOCK |
Alias for the hidden LockConsoleOnWake policy. |
0 |
Disabled: do not require a password at the secure desktop after sleep resume. |
1 |
Enabled: require authentication at the secure desktop after sleep resume. |
Microsoft’s general syntax is powercfg /setacvalueindex scheme_GUID sub_GUID setting_GUID setting_index, with the corresponding /setdcvalueindex form for battery operation. The aliases in the procedure avoid manually entering the individual scheme and setting GUIDs.
Do not confuse wake authentication with screen timeout
A password prompt and a dark or blank display are controlled by different policy families. CONSOLELOCK determines whether Windows asks for authentication when the system resumes from sleep. The display timeout while the computer is already at a locked screen uses VIDEOCONLOCK. The ordinary idle-display timeout uses VIDEOIDLE.
Changing VIDEOCONLOCK or VIDEOIDLE will not remove the wake-password requirement. Conversely, setting CONSOLELOCK to 0 will not keep the display on longer. Powercfg provides separate AC and DC commands for those timeout settings, so use the policy that matches the symptom instead of changing several values at once.
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Check the result without changing other settings
- Confirm that the command window was elevated. A non-administrator window may fail to write the plan value.
- Run
powercfg /getactiveschemeand note which plan is active. - Make sure you set the value for the power state you are testing. Test while plugged in after the AC command and while unplugged after the DC command.
- If the command completed but the old prompt still appears, run
powercfg /setactive SCHEME_CURRENTonce, then test another sleep-and-resume cycle. - If behavior differs after switching to another power plan, repeat the AC and DC commands for that newly active plan.
SCHEME_CURRENTalways means the plan active at the moment of execution.
Use a normal sleep and resume cycle for the test. The policy description concerns the system resuming from sleep; it is not a general promise that every lock or sign-in scenario will be bypassed.
Restore the password requirement
To undo the change, set the same policy index to 1. Run the command that matches the power state you want to secure, or run both for consistent protection:
powercfg /setacvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 1
powercfg /setdcvalueindex SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_NONE CONSOLELOCK 1
powercfg /setactive SCHEME_CURRENTThe first line restores the prompt on AC power, the second restores it on battery, and the final line reapplies the active plan if Windows has not refreshed it automatically.
Security and practical trade-offs
Disabling the prompt removes an authentication step after resume. That can be convenient for a gaming desktop in a private room: a controller or keyboard can bring the session back without requiring a password before a game is launched. It also means that anyone who can wake or access the unattended computer may reach the existing desktop session.
On a portable computer, consider where it is used before disabling the DC value. A laptop left in a classroom, office, vehicle, event venue, or shared living space has a different exposure than a stationary home PC. You can leave AC behavior convenient while keeping battery behavior protected by setting only the AC index to 0 and leaving the DC index at 1.
- Choose both values as 0 when identical behavior is more important than the extra resume check and the computer stays in a trusted environment.
- Choose AC 0 and DC 1 when you want convenience at a desk but authentication whenever the notebook is carried away.
- Choose both values as 1 when preventing access to an unattended session is the priority.
Common mistakes
Only changing the plugged-in setting
The AC command does not affect battery operation. If the prompt still appears after unplugging, set the DC value or intentionally leave it enabled as a security choice.
Changing display timeout instead
Values associated with VIDEOIDLE or VIDEOCONLOCK control when the display turns off. They do not control whether Windows requests a password after sleep.
Running against a plan that is not active
Commands using SCHEME_CURRENT write to the plan active at execution time. Check the active scheme first, and repeat the setting after deliberately switching plans.
Skipping plan reactivation
Powercfg can accept the new index before the user interface reflects it. Reapplying the active scheme with /setactive SCHEME_CURRENT refreshes the plan without requiring a different setting.
Quick decision guide
| Your goal | Action |
|---|---|
| No wake prompt on AC and battery | Run both setacvalueindex and setdcvalueindex commands with index 0. |
| No wake prompt only while plugged in | Set the AC value to 0; leave the DC value unchanged. |
| Restore authentication everywhere | Set both AC and DC values to 1, then reapply the plan. |
| Screen stays on or turns off too quickly | Investigate VIDEOIDLE or VIDEOCONLOCK; CONSOLELOCK is not a timeout. |
| Control Panel option is missing | Use the elevated Powercfg commands. |
The essential change is the CONSOLELOCK index in the active power plan. Set the appropriate AC and DC values, reapply the plan when necessary, and choose the security trade-off that fits the computer’s location.
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