Lock windows workstation using Python

Question

Is there a way to lock the PC from a Python script on Windows?

I do not want to implement some kind of locking on my own - I'd like to use the same lock screen that's also used when the user presses WIN+L or locks the machine via the start menu.

score 36 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 22 '13 at 19:55

36

This can be done with the LockWorkStation() function from user32.dll:

This function has the same result as pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del and clicking Lock Workstation.

In Python it can be called using using the ctypes/windll FFI from the Python stdlib:

import ctypes
ctypes.windll.user32.LockWorkStation()

answered Dec 22 '13 at 19:55

ThiefMaster

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@Mandelbrotter How is that comment supposed to be useful? I mentioned in my original question that WIN+L locks the desktop, and my question was obviously about doing it programmatically... – ThiefMaster Feb 13 '21 at 11:16

Mahmoud Hossam · Answer 2 · 2019-10-04T21:27:28.907

1

A good solution that makes us avoid using Libraries/DLL files is to use the command prompet/ power shell. try running this command in your cmd rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation....The PC is Locked!! so we can use subprocess to run this command like this:

    import subprocess
    cmd='rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation'
    subprocess.call(cmd)

edited Oct 04 '19 at 21:27

answered Oct 02 '19 at 11:32

Mahmoud Hossam

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I think that's pretty messy. also, you shouldn't use `shell=True` here - there's absolutely no need for this here. – ThiefMaster Oct 02 '19 at 12:42
I think calling rundll from code that is able to call dll functions directly is messy. Also, `subprocess.call()` should ideally be called with an array (command and args) instead of a string. – ThiefMaster Oct 05 '19 at 17:50
i think you are right,but my code above works well with subprocess – Mahmoud Hossam Oct 08 '19 at 12:18

score -1 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 19 '22 at 23:59

One more solution :

Run command to install the necessary package

pip install pyautogui
Run the below code

import pyautogui

from time import sleep

pyautogui.hotkey('win', 'r')

pyautogui.typewrite("cmd\n")

sleep(0.500)

pyautogui.typewrite("rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation\n")

Lock windows workstation using Python

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