How to Add or Remove Lock in Power Menu on Start Menu in Windows 11

Lock on the power menu in Windows 11 puts a fast screen-locking shortcut right inside your Start menu ⊞ next to restart and shut down. This handy shortcut lets you secure your PC instantly with a couple of clicks whenever you step away.

You need administrator rights on your Windows 11 computer to make this change. Setting up this shortcut gives you a quicker way to protect your personal files without signing out of your apps.

Option One

You can change your power button settings in the Control Panel 🎛️ to show or hide the Lock shortcut. This method controls whether the Lock choice appears when clicking the power icon on the Start menu ⊞.

1. Open Control Panel 🎛️ (icons view), and click/tap on the Power Options icon.
2. Click/tap on the Choose what the power buttons do link in the left pane.
3. Click/tap on the Change settings that are currently unavailable link.
4. Check (add – default) or uncheck (remove) Lock for what you want, and click/tap on Save changes.
5. You can now close Control Panel 🎛️ if you like.

Option Two

The Local Group Policy Editor (a tool for managing system settings across the operating system) provides another way to handle the Lock option for eligible users. This interface lets you control if the Lock choice appears alongside the power icon.

Note that the Local Group Policy Editor only ships with Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. If you run Windows 11 Home, jump down to Option Three instead.

⚠️ Admin Required: Open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).

1. Navigate to the policy location below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer
2. In the right pane of File Explorer in the Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Show lock in the user tile menu policy to edit it.

Enable Lock in Account Picture Menu

This setting defaults to allowing Option One. Choose 'Not Configured', then click OK and proceed to step 8.

1. Select (dot) Not Configured.
2. Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8.

Add Lock to Power Menu on Start Menu

This action prevents using Option One. Choose 'Enabled', then click OK and proceed to step 8.

1. Select (dot) Enabled.
2. Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8.

Remove Lock from Power Menu on Start Menu

1. Select (dot) Disabled.
2. Click/tap on OK, and go to step 8.
3. Close the Local Group Policy Editor.

Option Three

Working directly within the Registry Editor (a hierarchical database storing low-level operating system settings) lets you modify power menu behavior across any Windows 11 version. This advanced approach directly updates registry keys to control the visibility of the Lock choice.

Add Lock to Power Menu on Start Menu

This is the default setting

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\Start\HideLock" /v value /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FlyoutMenuSettings" /v ShowLockOption /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" /v ShowLockOption /f

Remove Lock from Power Menu on Start Menu

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\default\Start\HideLock" /v value /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FlyoutMenuSettings" /v ShowLockOption /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" /v ShowLockOption /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

That completes the process.

Summary

Three main methods handle adding or removing the Windows 11 lock option from your Start menu's power menu. Choices include the Control Panel for standard configurations, the Local Group Policy Editor for specific Windows editions, or the Registry Editor for universal compatibility.

• Option One: Use Control Panel and Power Options (easiest method).
• Option Two: Use Local Group Policy Editor (available in Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions only).
• Option Three: Use Registry Editor (works on all editions).

Admin privileges remain mandatory for altering the Windows Registry Editor. Locking your computer provides a fast method for protecting active work sessions.