# Can't lock the computer

**URL:** <https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/cant-lock-the-computer/7604>\
**Category:** Budgie Desktop\
**Created:** [January 24, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/cant-lock-the-computer/7604 "2025-01-24T16:59:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ninjajellybean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@ninjajellybean](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/ninjajellybean)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/cant-lock-the-computer/7604/1 "2025-01-24T16:59:48Z")

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Hello, I can’t lock my computer either using win+L keys or using the menu in the top right. Neither has any affect whats so ever. My laptop is fairly old but am hoping not to upgrade.  
Its a Lenovo ThinkPad E470. Hope some one can help. This is really annoying when on the move.

If you need anything else to help please let me know.  
Thanks,

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**Author:** ![fossfreedom](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/fossfreedom/32/1405_2.png) [@fossfreedom](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/fossfreedom)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 6:10pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/cant-lock-the-computer/7604/2 "2025-01-24T18:10:25Z")

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Have you checked if you have this package installed?

> [@Lock screen no longer works after 22.04 upgrade](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/lock-screen-no-longer-works-after-22-04-upgrade/6194/6):
>
> sudo apt purge gnome-shell-common That is enough to make the lock screen work again.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ninjajellybean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@ninjajellybean](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/ninjajellybean)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/cant-lock-the-computer/7604/3 "2025-01-24T18:26:47Z")

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sudo apt purge gnome-shell-common  
Reading package lists… Done  
Building dependency tree… Done  
Reading state information… Done  
Package ‘gnome-shell-common’ is not installed, so not removed  
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 25 not upgraded.

No affect…

Thanks,

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**Author:** ![fossfreedom](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/fossfreedom/32/1405_2.png) [@fossfreedom](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/fossfreedom)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 6:35pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/cant-lock-the-computer/7604/4 "2025-01-24T18:35:07Z")

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… and is gnome-screensaver installed?

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**Author:** ![ninjajellybean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@ninjajellybean](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/ninjajellybean)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 6:40pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/cant-lock-the-computer/7604/5 "2025-01-24T18:40:52Z")

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yeah that’s installed, gnome-screensaver is already the newest version (3.6.1-13ubuntu4).

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**Author:** ![ninjajellybean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@ninjajellybean](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/ninjajellybean)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 7:35am UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/cant-lock-the-computer/7604/6 "2025-04-03T07:35:15Z")

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this turned out to be, strangely the lock screen being disabled. The below command fixed it.

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.lockdown disable-lock-screen false

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**Author:** ![jlb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/jlb/32/4919_2.png) [@jlb](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/u/jlb)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://discourse.ubuntubudgie.org/t/cant-lock-the-computer/7604/7 "2025-04-06T16:11:04Z")

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> [@ninjajellybean](#):
>
> gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.lockdown disable-lock-screen false

`disable [...] false`, I’ve never understood those twisted wordings. 🤒