Set Up Presence Sensing in Windows 11 to Auto-Lock and Wake Your PC

Presence Sensing can automatically turn off and lock a compatible Windows 11 PC when you leave, then wake it when you return. It requires a built-in or USB-connected human presence sensor recognized by Windows. This guide applies to supported Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1; the same basic controls also exist in earlier Windows 11 releases. Windows 10 does not provide Microsoft’s native Presence Sensing settings.

Prerequisites and compatibility​

Before configuring the feature, confirm the following:

• Your PC has a Microsoft-compatible human presence sensor. Depending on the manufacturer, it may use radar, infrared, or another proximity-sensing technology.
• Windows recognizes the sensor and displays Presence Sensing controls.
• Windows and the PC manufacturer’s sensor, chipset, and firmware updates are installed.
• The sensor is not covered, disabled in firmware, or blocked by a closed laptop lid.
• If using an external monitor with an integrated presence sensor, its USB data connection is attached. HDMI and DisplayPort alone normally do not carry the sensor’s USB/HID data.
• You can change the settings yourself. Organization-managed PCs may enforce them through policy.

To check the installed Windows version:

• Press Windows+R.
• Enter:
  winver
• Select OK.
• Confirm the dialog reports Windows 11 and note the version.

The presence controls normally require no restart. Restart only if Windows Update, a sensor driver, firmware, or the PC manufacturer’s software requests one.

How to tell whether the PC supports Presence Sensing​

• Open Settings.
• Go to System > Power & battery.
• Expand Screen and sleep.
• Look for either of these controls:
• Automatically turn off my screen when I leave
• Automatically wake up my device when I approach

If neither option appears, the computer probably lacks a Windows-compatible presence sensor, its driver is unavailable, or the manufacturer provides similar functionality only through its own utility.
You can also press Windows+R, enter the following command, and select OK:
ms-settings:presence
On supported systems, this opens the Presence Sensing page. If Settings opens without showing presence options, continue to the troubleshooting section.

Set up automatic screen-off and lock on leave​

Security warning: Lock on leave is a convenience layer, not a substitute for pressing Windows+L when leaving a PC containing sensitive information. Detection and locking are not instantaneous, and active calls, video playback, or other power requests may temporarily prevent the screen from turning off.

• Select Start > Settings.
• Open:
  System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep
• Turn on Automatically turn off my screen when I leave.
  Once enabled, Windows monitors the selected presence sensor for a transition from present to not present.
• Select More options next to Automatically turn off my screen when I leave.
• Configure the available lock-on-leave settings. The exact list depends on the sensor and PC manufacturer:
• Consider me gone when I’m this far away: Select the distance at which Windows should treat you as having left.
• Then, turn off my screen after this amount of time: Select how long Windows should wait after detecting that you have left.
• Lock my device when I leave while an external display is connected: Enable this if you want lock on leave to remain active while using an external monitor.
• Choose a presence sensor: If Windows detects multiple sensors, select the one facing your normal working position.
• Start with a moderate detection distance rather than the longest available distance. This reduces false locks caused by leaning back or turning away briefly.
• Choose a short but practical delay. A very short timeout improves security but may interrupt work if you regularly move outside the sensor’s field of view.
• Close Settings. No restart is required.

What “lock on leave” actually does​

Despite the feature’s common name, Windows first turns off the display and then locks the session. The display may turn off shortly before the configured timeout, while the actual lock occurs after the timeout and an additional preset interval.
Do not assume the PC has locked merely because the screen went dark. Test the complete sequence and verify that Windows asks for your sign-in method when you return.

Set up wake on approach​

• Return to:
  Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep
• Turn on Automatically wake up my device when I approach.
• Select More options next to the wake setting.
• Configure the available options:
• Wake my device when I’m this close: Select how close you must be before Windows wakes the display.
• Wake my device when I approach while an external display is connected: Enable this if the feature should work at a docked workstation.
• Don’t wake my device when I approach while battery saver is on: Enable this to prioritize battery life over automatic wake. Depending on the Windows version, the related power-saving feature may be labeled Battery saver or Energy saver.
• Choose a presence sensor: Select the sensor facing the position from which you normally approach.
• If both wake and lock distance controls are available, keep their thresholds reasonably aligned. Windows may automatically adjust one threshold when you select an incompatible distance for the other.
• Close Settings. The change takes effect without a restart.

Wake on approach turns on the device or display and begins the normal authentication process. It does not bypass Windows Hello, a PIN, password, or another required sign-in method.

Check Presence Sensing privacy permissions​

Windows’ own presence features and third-party applications can have separate controls. Review the privacy page if an application needs presence information or if the master access control has been disabled.

• Open:
  Settings > Privacy & security > Presence Sensing
• Confirm Presence Sensing access is On.
• If applications should be allowed to use the sensor, turn on Let apps access Presence Sensing.
• Enable access for individual Microsoft Store applications as needed.
• For traditional desktop programs, use Let desktop apps access Presence Sensing. Desktop applications are controlled as a group and may not have individual switches.

Only grant application access when the application has a legitimate need for presence data. Turning off application access does not uninstall or remove the sensor.

Verify that automatic locking works​

Test the feature before relying on it.

• Save any open work.
• Temporarily select a short lock-on-leave delay, such as 10 seconds, if your device offers it.
• Sit normally in front of the computer for at least several seconds so the sensor detects you as present.
• Walk beyond the configured detection distance and out of the sensor’s field of view.
• Wait through the selected delay. The display should turn off, followed by the Windows session locking.
• Return to the PC.
• Confirm that the display wakes and that the lock screen requires your configured Windows Hello method, PIN, or password.
• Return to the Presence Sensing settings and select a more comfortable delay if the test value is too aggressive.

If the screen turns off but returning to the PC shows an unlocked desktop, review Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and make sure the device has a working sign-in method. Until the behavior is corrected, use Windows+L whenever you leave.

Verify wake on approach​

• Confirm Automatically wake up my device when I approach is enabled.
• Sit in front of the PC so the sensor registers you as present.
• Walk away and allow lock on leave to turn off the display.
• Wait several seconds, then approach from directly in front of the selected sensor.
• The screen should turn on as you enter the configured wake distance.
• If Windows Hello facial recognition is configured, authentication may begin automatically. Windows should still enforce the normal sign-in requirements.

Manually locking or sleeping the PC while remaining in front of it should not cause it to wake immediately. Walk outside the sensor’s range and then return so Windows sees a complete present-to-not-present-to-present transition.

Windows 10 alternative: Dynamic Lock​

Windows 10 has no equivalent Presence Sensing page and cannot natively wake a PC when you approach. Its closest built-in alternative is Dynamic Lock, which uses the weakening Bluetooth signal from a paired phone to lock an idle PC.
On Windows 10:

• Pair a phone through:
  Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices > Add Bluetooth or other device
• After pairing, open:
  Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options
• Under Dynamic lock, select Allow Windows to automatically lock your device when you’re away.

On Windows 11, the fallback is under:
Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Dynamic lock
Dynamic Lock does not provide wake on approach. It may also leave the PC unlocked briefly because it waits for the Bluetooth signal to weaken and for the system to be idle. Continue using Windows+L when immediate locking is required.

Troubleshooting​

Presence Sensing settings are completely missing​

The most common cause is unsupported hardware. A webcam by itself does not necessarily qualify as a Windows presence sensor.

• Press Windows+R.
• Enter:
  devmgmt.msc
• Select OK.
• Look under Sensors, Human Interface Devices, and Software components for a presence or human-presence device.
• Check Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates for sensor or firmware updates.
• Install applicable updates and restart if prompted.
• Check the PC manufacturer’s update application or support documentation for a human-presence sensor driver.

Some manufacturers implement proprietary presence detection instead of Microsoft’s native sensor model. In that case, configure it through the manufacturer’s application; Windows may never display the standard Presence Sensing page.

Only some presence options appear​

This is usually expected. Windows displays only capabilities reported by the selected sensor. One sensor may support lock and wake but not adaptive dimming, distance selection, or external-monitor behavior.
If multiple sensors are connected, open More options and select a different sensor. Disconnecting an external sensor may cause Windows to return to the built-in sensor.

The screen does not turn off when you leave​

Check for these conditions:

• You walked away before the sensor had detected you as present.
• You left from the side without first entering the sensor’s normal field of view.
• A video, presentation, call, or application has submitted a power request that keeps the display active.
• The normal display timeout is interacting with the presence timeout. Windows uses the more aggressive screen-off condition.
• Lock my device when I leave while an external display is connected is disabled.
• The laptop lid is closed and the active sensor cannot observe the normal seating position.
• An organization policy is controlling the setting.

Close media and communications applications, sit in front of the sensor for several seconds, and repeat the test by leaving directly through its detection area.

The display turns off while you are still working​

• Open the lock-on-leave More options page.
• Reduce the Consider me gone when I’m this far away sensitivity or choose a shorter detection distance.
• Increase the screen-off delay.
• Confirm that the correct sensor is selected.
• Reposition an external monitor so its sensor faces your normal seating position.
• Remove anything blocking the sensor area.

Test after each adjustment rather than changing every value at once.

Wake on approach works on battery but not with Energy saver enabled​

Open the wake-on-approach More options page and check Don’t wake my device when I approach while battery saver is on. Turn that option off if automatic wake is more important than conserving power.
On some Windows 11 systems, Windows can temporarily restrict wake sources after detecting excessive battery drain during Modern Standby. In that state, the power button or opening the lid may be required.

A USB presence sensor will not wake a desktop or S3-sleep PC​

Check the available sleep states:

• Right-click Start and select Terminal.
• Run:
  powercfg /a
• Look for Standby (S3) in the available sleep states.

HID-based presence sensors can wake supported S3 systems on sufficiently updated Windows 11 installations, but USB wake must also be enabled by the computer’s firmware.

Firmware warning: Changing the wrong BIOS or UEFI setting can affect startup, power management, and connected hardware. Record the original value before making any change.

Restart the PC, enter its BIOS or UEFI setup, and look for USB Wake Support, Wake from USB, or a similarly named setting. Enable only that setting, save, and retest. Menu names and firmware keys vary by manufacturer.
To roll back, return to the firmware setup and restore the recorded original value. If the setting is unavailable, check for a manufacturer firmware update or confirm that the model supports USB wake from its selected sleep state.

The sensor works until an external monitor is connected​

Enable both external-display options where available:

• Lock my device when I leave while an external display is connected
• Wake my device when I approach while an external display is connected

If the monitor contains the sensor, confirm its USB upstream cable is connected. An HDMI- or DisplayPort-only connection can carry video while leaving the monitor’s sensor unavailable. A compatible USB-C connection may carry both, depending on the monitor and PC.

Settings are grayed out or keep reverting​

The PC may be managed by an employer or school. Presence Sensing behavior can be enforced through device-management policy, including external-display and power-saving behavior.
Check Settings > Accounts > Access work or school. If the device is managed, contact the organization’s IT administrator rather than removing the account or changing policy-related registry values.

Presence Sensing still fails after driver and firmware updates​

Disable both presence toggles, restart the PC, and enable them again. If the behavior remains reproducible:

• Press Windows+F to open Feedback Hub.
• Select Report a problem.
• Describe whether the failure affects lock on leave, wake on approach, external displays, or all presence functions.
• Include the PC model, Windows version from winver, sensor type if known, and exact reproduction steps.
• Also contact the PC or sensor manufacturer if Device Manager reports an error or the manufacturer’s own presence utility cannot detect the hardware.