Disable Screen Lock in MacOS

kacey3
Contributor II

We have several general use computers with automatic login, and the fact that Screen Lock (aka: "Require Password after screen saver begins") is killing us.

aee267d46a6a4b178137ac3e2b762daf

Every reference I have found to disabling Screen Lock either refers to the plist from when it was still a part of the Screen Saver Preference Pane (which doesn't work now that it's part of the Security & Privacy Pane), or simply refers to Lock Screen on the Apple Menu.

The best we have been able to do is to track the setting down to the following file:

~/Library/Keychains/[UUID]/user.kb

We have confirmed that file is where the setting is held, but the file is encoded and we have been unable to decode the file. Does anyone know how to change this setting with JAMF, or a script, or any kind of remote management?

5 REPLIES 5

pkleiber
Contributor

Hi @kacey3 , I think you talk about this scenario, which Apple also describes here:
Set your Mac to automatically log in during startup
We are using Jamf Pro in the cloud. I just checked the configuration profile settings and you should be able to do this by deploying a profile which leaves the checkmark empty for Require password immediately:

a08b33ddc33f4d84b98b5a811425158d

dwaterbury
New Contributor III

I'm wondering if anyone found a solution for this yet? I've had to manually go in and disable this setting for our K-2 students' computers. The configuration profile setting doesn't let you disable it. It will allow you set the time frame from the drop down menu and lock it in, but maxes out at 8 hours. If only, there was a "Never" option.

dstranathan
Valued Contributor II

Screen Shot 2022-01-26 at 16.44.39.png

 

Im on Jamf Pro 10.34.2 (on-prem) and it appears that I can set the Lock Screen time value to "never" (or not manage the payload at all).  

kacey3
Contributor II

I had actually gotten this to work with a custom JSON Schema, but it's nice to see it as an actual configuration policy.

Additionally, can I just say how excited I am to see these new configurations with the "include" switch? There were so many policies that would configure items that I didn't want to configure, just to configure one specific option. This is so much nicer and granular.

phunkywan
New Contributor

Is there a way to make "require a password"  default and not make it a managed preference so uses can still updated the setting?