Turn off screen lock using a configuration profile

a_simmons
Contributor II

I was wondering if any one had advice on how to turn off the screen lock requiring a password in Security and Privacy using configuration profiles.

Also is there is a way to disable natural scrolling using configuration profiles.

5 REPLIES 5

davidacland
Honored Contributor II
Honored Contributor II

Hi,

It is possible to set the key so the option is unticked, but from lots of previous attempts, this seems to be unreliable. We've had the checkbox re-enable itself, and in other cases, the password prompt still appear even when the checkbox is unticked.

We've also tried this with a login script and defaults write but had similar behaviour.

There is another workaround available, whats the scenario you're facing? Are these shared devices and people walking away leaving the Macs logged in?

davidacland
Honored Contributor II
Honored Contributor II

Missed the second bit.

You can create a custom config profile that managed the com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse.plist file. I can't remember the key name but you will be able to work it out by enabling / disabling the setting in system preferences and then checking what changed in the plist.

sukohond
New Contributor

Hi David
I am having the same problem. I can not get the option unticked thru configuration profile.
We have a couple of computer rooms full of shared iMacs and students are leaving them logged in.
Do you mind sharing the workaround?
Thank you.

davidacland
Honored Contributor II
Honored Contributor II

If you have more than one local user account and enable fast user switching, the lock screen will get a second option to switch back to the login window.

This works for us as we often have the local JSS admin account and a local support admin account. So all we have to do is switch on fast user switching and the option appears.

sukohond
New Contributor

Thank you David. I can confirm that your suggestions work very well in our school environment. Having 2 local users let us switch to another user when somebody forgot to log out and the computer is locked. Cheers.