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Windows

How to Lock your Computer using a Desktop Shortcut?

Following are the commonly used methods used to lock a Windows OS based computer:

  • Press Start button >> Shut down menu >> Click Lock.
  • Press CTRL + ALT + Delete Keys altogether and then select Lock this Computer.
  • Press Windows + L Keys together.



In this post we will see How to Lock your Computer using a Desktop Shortcut? Follow these steps in order to do so:

1. Right click on an empty area on your desktop. Now select New and then Shortcut:

Create shortcut

2. A Create Shortcut wizard will open in front of you. In this wizard type following in Type the location of the item field:

C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation

create shortcut location

3. Click on next button and then give an appropriate name to the shortcut, say Lock Desktop:

Lock Desktop

4. Once everything is set, click on Finish button and your Lock Desktop icon will look something like following:

Lock Desktop icon

You can also select a good looking icon for your newly created shortcut. For this Right click on the shortcut >> go to its Properties and then click on Change icon button. Click Browse >> select shell32.dll (C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll) and then choose your preferred icon from the list:

shell32 dll

Once you have selected an icon, click on OK button twice and it’s all done. Your Lock Desktop shortcut will now have its own icon.

Lock Desktop new icon

Double click on it any time and your computer will get locked instantly. Feel free to move this shortcut to your task bar also.

task bar