Lock screen by-passed on Windows 11 startup to immediately show Sign-In

On Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, set Do not display the lock screen to Disabled or Not configured, then restart the laptop.

Restore the lock screen policy

1. Press Win + R.
2. Enter gpedit.msc, then select OK.
3. Navigate to: Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Control Panel → Personalization
4. Open Do not display the lock screen.
5. Select Disabled or Not configured.
6. Select Apply → OK, then restart Windows.

When this policy is enabled, Windows omits the lock screen and displays the selected user/sign-in interface directly. When disabled or not configured, users receive a lock screen that must be dismissed. This policy applies to Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise—not Windows 11 Home. ^1^

Test the result

After restarting:

1. Press Win + L.
2. Confirm that Windows displays the background, clock, and lock-screen information.
3. Press a key or click to reveal the PIN/password page.

The lock screen and sign-in screen are separate interfaces. Reaching the sign-in page directly does not bypass authentication if Windows still requires a PIN, password, fingerprint, or facial recognition. Windows uses those credentials to verify identity before granting desktop access. ^2^

If gpedit.msc is unavailable

That commonly means the device is running Windows 11 Home, for which the documented policy above does not apply. Avoid downloading third-party Group Policy installers or making undocumented registry changes.

You can still verify that the lock-screen configuration is available:

1. Open Start → Settings → Personalization → Lock screen.
2. Under Personalize your lock screen, temporarily select Picture.
3. Choose a static image.
4. Enable Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen.
5. Restart and test again with Win + L.

These settings configure the lock-screen image and whether it also appears behind the sign-in interface; they do not themselves override a policy that suppresses the lock screen. ^3^

If Win + L displays the lock screen correctly but a cold startup still opens directly at sign-in, the available documentation does not establish a supported Windows 11 Home setting that forces the introductory lock-screen page at every startup. Submit the behavior through Feedback Hub by pressing Win + F, under Desktop Environment → Lock screen. ^3^

References

1. Policy CSP - ADMX_ControlPanelDisplay
2. User Account Access in Windows | Microsoft Support
3. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/experience/personalization/customize-the-lock-screen-in-windows#summary)