How to Lock Screen on Mac (Tahoe/Sequoia) – 7 Ways

You may want to lock your Mac when you step away to keep your files secure. This post provides 7 easy ways to lock your Mac screen.

1. Use Mac Lock Screen Shortcut

Easily lock your Mac using the keyboard shortcut: press Control + Command + Q to go directly to the lock screen.

2. Close Your Mac Lid to Lock It

If you have set your password requirement to “Immediately,” simply closing your Mac lid will instantly lock your Mac.

3. Lock Your Mac Screen via Apple Menu

Click the Apple menu and select Lock Screen to immediately lock your Mac.

4. Lock Screen on Mac Using Hot Corners

Hot Corners let you assign actions to the corners of your screen. Here’s how to lock your Mac with a hot corner:

1. Go to Apple > System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
2. Scroll down and click Hot Corners.
3. Choose a corner to use for locking your Mac, then select Lock Screen from the drop-down menu.
4. Click Done to save your settings.
5. Move your pointer to the chosen hot corner to lock your Mac next time.

5. Lock Mac Screen with Touch ID

If your Mac or Magic Keyboard supports Touch ID, pressing it will quickly lock your Mac.

6. Lock Mac Screen Using Touch Bar

For MacBooks with a Touch Bar, you can add a Screen Lock icon:

1. Go to Apple > System Settings > Keyboard.
2. Click Touch Bar Settings.
3. Click Customize Control Strip.
4. Drag the Screen Lock icon to the Touch Bar.
5. Click Done.
6. Tap the Screen Lock icon on the Touch Bar to lock your Mac.

7. Lock Mac Using Terminal

1. Open Terminal via Spotlight Search.
2. Type the command pmset displaysleepnow and press Enter to put your Mac to sleep, which effectively locks it.

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How to Unlock Your Mac

Way 1: Press any key and enter your password.
Way 2: Use Touch ID if supported.
Way 3: If your Apple Watch is set up to unlock your Mac, it will unlock automatically when nearby.

How to Set Up a Password for Your Mac

A password is required to lock and unlock your Mac. Here’s how to set it:

1. Go to Apple > System Settings > Lock Screen.
2. Next to Require password after the screen saver begins or display is turned off, choose an option (e.g., “After 5 minutes”).
3. When your Mac sleeps or the screen saver starts, it will require the password to unlock.

Bottom Line

This post from Dr.Buho introduces 7 ways to lock your Mac screen. Use any method that suits you to secure your Mac when you step away.