You can finally lock the screen!

[Ethosik]

I am sure this is known, but this has been a major issue of mine for a VERY long time. When I am running a Windows system, I always issue a Windows Key + L to lock when I step away. Having to deal with hot corners and hacking it to work on macOS was an issue.

Now you can lock without needing to do all of that. It is in the Apple menu at the top. Just issue a Control + Command + Q.

 

[neliason]

As much as Mac is touted for its security I found the lack of this odd. In an office environment this is a pretty necessary feature.

 

[nightcap965]

Huh? You've always been able to lock the screen. Ctrl-Shift-Eject or Ctrl-Shift-Power, depending upon the version of the keyboard you're using.

 

[The Mercurian]

Yes this is not new. Google is your friend.

 

[neliason]

Huh? You've always been able to lock the screen. Ctrl-Shift-Eject or Ctrl-Shift-Power, depending upon the version of the keyboard you're using.

It’s not the same. Locking just means you have to provide credentials to use the machine. Sleeping the display isn’t the same. It can be close, but only if you set it to require a password when waking. Personally I like to see the screen indicate a password is needed so I know it is. From a security standpoint I think that is much better.

 

[jimthing]

But with Sierra on Touchbar models: can you lock the screen like this?

 

[Ethosik]

Huh? You've always been able to lock the screen. Ctrl-Shift-Eject or Ctrl-Shift-Power, depending upon the version of the keyboard you're using.

No, that just puts the screen to sleep. To actually take you to a password prompt, this is a new feature. I want to lock the screen without putting my entire display to sleep.

Yes this is not new. Google is your friend.

I have googled it and even asked here. I was told the only way to accomplish this in the past was to set up a hot corner, tell it to use the screen saver, and have the password prompt immediately after a screen saver appears.

 

[Alrescha]

You could always turn on a menu extra (in Keychain Preferences) that gave you a true screen lock. Moving that to the Apple menu is a nice little improvement.

A.

 

[Ethosik]

You could always turn on a menu extra (in Keychain Preferences) that gave you a true screen lock. Moving that to the Apple menu is a nice little improvement.

A.

Yep. What I meant was that this is now default without needing to change any settings. Is that keychain preferences menu extra new? I asked a few years ago about how to lock the screen and just got answers that a hot corner was needed.

 

[Alrescha]

Is that keychain preferences menu extra new?

It is not *very* new, as it goes back as least as far as Lion.

 

[F1Mac]

Indeed a nice addition to the Apple menu...