How to fix Require sign-in missing option?

Disable On resume, display logon screen in Screen Saver Settings first, because a prompt that appears after a consistent few minutes of inactivity can be triggered independently of the missing Require sign-in option.

Security warning: Disabling automatic locking lets anyone with physical access use the signed-in session. Use these changes for diagnosis, then restore the protections you need.

1. Check the screen-saver sign-in setting

1. Press Windows+R.
2. Enter control desk.cpl,,1, then select OK.
3. In Screen Saver Settings, clear On resume, display logon screen.
4. Select Apply and OK.
5. Leave the PC idle for longer than the usual interval.

Windows documents this checkbox as a separate mechanism that requires a password when resuming from the screen saver.^1^

If the prompt stops, that setting—not Require sign-in—was causing it. Either leave it cleared, increase Wait, or restore it afterward for physical-access security.

2. Check Dynamic Lock

If the prompt still appears:

1. Open Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Find Dynamic lock.
3. If Allow Windows to automatically lock your device when you’re away is enabled, temporarily clear it.
4. Test again, then restore it if you want automatic protection.

Dynamic Lock uses a paired phone’s Bluetooth signal and can lock Windows when the phone moves out of range.^2^

3. Determine whether sleep triggers the prompt

The normal Windows 10 location is Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Require sign-in.^3^

Because that control is absent, test whether the computer is actually entering sleep:

1. Press the Windows key, type Sleep, and open the power-and-sleep settings.
2. Temporarily set the sleep interval longer than the period after which the prompt normally appears.
3. Leave the PC idle and test again.
4. Restore the preferred sleep interval afterward.

If extending the sleep interval prevents the prompt, wake-from-sleep authentication is involved. If the prompt remains, another lock mechanism or policy is responsible.

4. Check for a managed-device policy

Windows notes that the sign-in timing control can be unavailable because of a device security policy.^4^

Check Settings > Accounts > Access work or school. If the PC is connected to an organization, its administrator can enforce security policies and configure device settings.^5^ Contact that administrator before changing or removing management settings.

5. Pro, Enterprise, or Education only: check the inactivity policy

This does not apply to Windows 10 Home. First verify the installed edition under Settings > System > About > Windows specifications. An administrator account is required to change local security policy.

On Pro, Enterprise, or Education:

1. Press Windows+R, enter secpol.msc, and select OK.
2. Go to Local Policies > Security Options.
3. Open Interactive logon: Machine inactivity limit.
4. A nonzero value is the number of idle seconds before Windows locks; 0 disables this policy.^6^
5. If this is not an organization-managed PC, temporarily set it to 0 and test. Restore the original value afterward if automatic locking is required.

If the setting is enforced or returns after being changed, it is policy-controlled and must be changed by the device administrator.

References

1. Configure a Screen Saver in Windows | Microsoft Support
2. [Windows 10](https://support.microsoft.com/accounts-billing/security/sign-in-options-in-windows)
3. [Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/security/securing-your-device)
4. Use a screen reader to navigate sign in options in Windows | Microsoft Support
5. Add Your Work or School Account to a Windows Device | Microsoft Support
6. Policy CSP - LocalPoliciesSecurityOptions