When you have to leave a Windows PC on, to protect it from prying hands and eyes, you lock it easily by pressing the Windows-L keys together. The computer will be locked and impossible to use if you do not enter the password previously configured in the user management.
As written in the guide on how to protect your computer and Windows with access passwords, there are still several other ways to lock your computer, even more convenient than a password that still needs to be remembered and written every time.
For example, with Windows 8 there are also other protection systems such as PIN or graphic password (see user and password management in Windows 8).
Another very original way of locking the computer automatically is the use of a USB stick that can be used as if it were the key of the machine, to be inserted to enter the PC .
The most popular program for creating computer protection using a USB stick is Predator .
Predator is a free program for personal use that allows you to use a pen drive as a "key" that locks and unlocks the computer.
Predator transforms the USB stick into a real entry key so that, when inserted, you access the PC, when it is disconnected, the PC remains locked.
So there is no need to write passwords and just insert and remove the configured USB stick.
For emergency you can set a password to use in case you lose the USB stick.
If it is spelled incorrectly, you will hear an audible alarm.
Predator is very easy to use and has some additional options.
You can make sure that when the computer is locked, the screen is dimmed and the mouse and keyboard are also locked.
You can also create rules so as to leave the PC free of protection based on the time of day, on the day or on the basis of the user who uses the computer.
With Predator you can create multiple keys to enter the same computer or a single key to lock and unlock multiple computers.
As an alternative to Predator you can also use Rohos Logon Key, a free utility that transforms the USB drive into a Windows access key.
Again, there is no need to manually enter the password, just insert the USB stick to unlock everything.
After installation, when you start for the first time, you can click on "Setup USB Key" to create the access key.
Any data on the USB stick will remain intact.
The free version of Rohos Logon Key unfortunately does not provide the possibility of emergency access to enter the computer in case the USB stick is lost.
To avoid being left out, it is best to create a new Windows administrator user to use in an emergency.
READ ALSO: Lock mouse, keyboard and desktop on Windows PC
