When using a computer in a place where there are also other people and we are forced to move away from our PC workstation, we can really trust our colleagues, friends or family, thus leaving it unattended and available "> blocking both the desktop and the main peripherals of inputs such as keyboard and mouse. READ ALSO -> Which protection and screen lock for Android is more secure?
Use the tools built into Windows
The easiest way to protect your computer from prying eyes is to block access to the desktop ; the fastest way to do this is by pressing the WIN + L key combination.
The desktop disappears and the login screen appears; obviously in order to make the protection effective we will have to enter a password for our account, otherwise just a click to access the profile again!
If we use a Microsoft account associated with Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, just enter the Microsoft password to access the profile.
If we use a local account or use Windows 7 on our PC we can enter a password by opening the Start menu, typing Account and opening the Account menu.
On Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 just go to the Access options item.
We can choose to use a password, PIN or biometric parameter to guarantee exclusive access.
Note: to use Windows Hello so that you can unlock the PC with your face (the system will read the features of your face to decide whether to unlock the PC or not) you need to use hardware compatible with the technology, otherwise it will not work (it will not a simple webcam is therefore enough).
On Windows 7 instead we will have to open the Create / Remove account password menu from the Start menu and click on the Create a password for the account item .
Use programs to lock mouse and keyboard
In this part of the article, instead, we see some programs that can be used instead of the normal Windows block (but also in addition) and with which it is possible to lock the screen, lock the mouse and even the keyboard .
1) Mouse Lock
Mouse Lock is not an application that locks mouse on the fly .
Once installed and configured, we can lock the mouse after a certain amount of time or on command and thus prevent it from being used if not by entering a password.
The unlocking can be done only within a few seconds that you start moving the mouse; after that, the mouse will be locked and unauthorized access attempts will be recorded.
A truly ingenious app to keep the curious out of the boxes.
2) Clearlock
Clearlock is a Windows tool that locks the keyboard screen while still leaving the desktop transparent .
This small program allows you to lock the screen with a password while still letting you see the windows and programs open on the desktop, in transparency.
Clearly this is not the tool for those who want to protect the screen from prying eyes but it is useful to follow the progress of a download or installation in the background, while leaving the PC locked.
Clearlock brings up a layer of transparency that allows anyone to see what's going on on the computer, without being able to move the mouse or press the keys.
Once the .zip archive has been downloaded, proceed to extract the files and start the executable.
The first time you are asked to enter the unlock password.
Unfortunately, this tool does not replace the default Win + L shortcut key, but you can activate the lock from the Clearlock icon from the system tray.
Once locked, the desktop becomes transparent and a window appears for entering the password.
This window vanishes after a minute of inactivity, showing the desktop entirely.
Just move the mouse to make it reappear.
The computer does not stop doing what it is doing, the downloads, the processes, the transfers and the uploads do not stop, so it is excellent if you have no secrets to hide but we do not want the PC to be used without our consent.
3) KeyFreeze
KeyFreeze is an application, very nice graphically, which allows you to lock the keyboard and mouse to prevent the PC from being used without permission.
For example, if there are small children who often play with the keyboard and mouse and crush at random, KeyFreeze can be used.
During a voice chat session and when watching movies on the computer, it can be helpful to block the input devices so as not to interrupt the transmission.
To lock the system, simply start KeyFreeze (from the start menu or by pressing the shortcut on the desktop).
To unlock just press Ctrl + Alt + Del, followed by the Esc key.
Obviously using this app you will not be asked for a password, so it will not keep away the best users or those who necessarily want to access the PC, but it can be very useful with young children or while we are watching a movie or a TV series and we want to avoid press random buttons (maybe in the dark!).
This article is an appendix to the previous post " how to lock your computer with a password " where we find two other alternative tools to the ones we have shown you in this guide: Mouse Lock and Kid Key Lock.
