Most people don’t think twice about stepping away from their computer for a few minutes. Whether you’re grabbing a coffee, heading to a meeting, or just popping to the bathroom, those few unattended minutes are all it takes for someone to snoop through your files, read your emails, or worse. Locking your PC when you’re not using it is one of the simplest and most effective security habits you can build — and it costs you nothing.
The risk is real, even at home
It’s easy to assume that screen locking is only relevant in busy offices or public spaces, but that’s not quite right. At home, you might have family members, flatmates, or visitors who could casually glance at — or actively browse through — whatever is open on your screen. Children are particularly curious, and an unlocked PC can give them access to things you’d rather they didn’t see. Even if you trust everyone in your household completely, getting into the habit of locking your screen is just good practice.
In a workplace environment, the risks multiply significantly. Confidential client data, financial records, personal emails, and internal documents are all potentially visible to anyone who walks past an unlocked machine. Many industries — healthcare, finance, and legal services among them — actually have regulatory requirements around screen security precisely because of this.
What can happen in just a few minutes?
You might be surprised how quickly someone can act on an unattended computer. In the time it takes to make a cup of tea, someone could copy files to a USB drive, read through your emails, install software, change settings, or simply take a photo of sensitive information on your screen with their phone. None of these things require any technical skill — just opportunity.
What are the best preventative measures?
Get into the habit of manually locking your screen before you leave your computer. Don’t always rely on auto-lock timeout, because all it takes is a few moments to make your desktop vulnerable. Pressing a simple hotkey gives you the reassurance and confidence that it’s locked and secure — no need to just “wait and hope.” It’s done in a second. While you can use the built-in Windows key + L shortcut, there are other options and software that let you customise that shortcut key — useful if your keyboard doesn’t have a Windows key. Not all versions of windows have that shortcut key.
In a nutshell
Locking your screen is a tiny action with a big payoff. It takes one keystroke and less than a second, yet it protects your files, your emails, your accounts, and your privacy from anyone who happens to walk by. Whether you’re at home or in the office, there’s simply no good reason to leave your PC unlocked and unattended. Make it a reflex — lock before you leave, every single time.