Give your Mac longer before it locks or the screen turns off

Why it happens

Three timers decide this: when the screen saver starts, when the display turns off, and how long after that your Mac asks for a password. If any of them is short, the password screen seems to appear the moment you look away. Laptops often have a shorter timer on battery than when plugged in.

How to fix it

1. Open System Settings from the Apple menu and click Lock Screen in the sidebar.

2. Find Start Screen Saver when inactive and pick a longer time, or Never if you don't use a screen saver.

   Lock Screen

3. Set Turn display off on battery when inactive to a longer time, and do the same for Turn display off on power adapter when inactive. A desktop Mac shows a single Turn display off when inactive menu.

   Lock Screen

4. Set Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off to a longer delay. On a laptop you carry around, a few minutes is a fair balance between ease and safety.

   Lock Screen›Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off

Still not fixed?

1. If the screen locks when your pointer touches a corner, a Hot Corner is set to lock or start the screen saver. Change it with Hot Corners in Desktop & Dock settings.

   Desktop & Dock›Hot Corners…

2. If the menus are greyed out or jump back, your Mac may be managed by a school or company that sets a lock time. Ask whoever manages it.

3. Restart your Mac and check that the new times are still set.

4. If the Mac still locks much sooner than the times you chose, contact Apple Support.