This could be handy if you have sensitive information that you don’t want anyone else to access, or a simple way to keep your kids from jumping on the computer when you go and make a coffee.
How can I enable dynamic lock?
You’ll need a Windows 10 machine with Bluetooth (which rules out most PCs) and a phone. You’ll also need to update Windows 10 to get the Creators Update (version 1703) if you haven’t already. Then, you need to pair your phone with Windows. Ask Cortana to enable Bluetooth, or use the Settings app and go to Devices and then Bluetooth.
Then enable Bluetooth on your phone, then look through the list of devices and find your computer. You can tap Pair on either device, and accept the request on the other. Once they’re paired, go to Accounts, then Sign-in options in the Windows 10 Settings app. You might have to scroll down to see the Dynamic Lock section and setting it up is as simple as ticking the box.
Once that’s done you can test it’s working by closing the Settings app and walking away with your phone. Once you get to around 25 feet, Windows should lock and the screen may turn off (it did on our Samsung Galaxy Book we used for this guide). When you return, you’ll have to unlock Windows using whatever method you have set up, be it password, PIN, Windows Hello or a fingerprint scan. The way Dynamic Lock works is by periodically checking the signal strength of your phone’s Bluetooth. It doesn’t remain connected permanently. If you find your phone doesn’t work well with the feature, either try a different Bluetooth device (if you have one) or change Registry settings that determine the proximity of the phone before the lock is triggered. Fortunately our colleagues over at CIO have written a handy guide on exactly how to do that. Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
