“Never” option not showing under, “If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again?” PC auto signs-out in minutes, regardless of settings. Please help

Understanding and Resolving Sign-In Settings Issues in Windows 11: A Guide for Users

If you’re experiencing persistent sign-out issues in Windows 11, where your system logs you out to the lock screen within minutes despite adjusting user settings, you’re not alone. This article aims to shed light on the possible causes and solutions for such behavior, especially focusing on the “If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again?” setting and related security policies.

The Problem: Unexpected Sign-Outs Despite Configured Settings

Many Windows 11 users notice that their PC prompts for sign-in after a few minutes of inactivity, even when they’ve set longer durations or selected “Never” in the sign-in options. This inconsistency can be particularly frustrating, especially on high-performance PCs designed for multitasking and prolonged sessions.

Key Observations

• The setting “If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again?” typically offers options like “Always,” 1, 3, 5, or 15 minutes.
• A “Never” option is notably absent, which may contribute to automatic sign-outs.
• Sometimes, a message appears indicating that “security policies on this PC are preventing some options from being shown.”
• Adjusting power and sleep settings, including advanced options, often does not resolve the issue.
• Registry edits and policy configurations may be necessary for further troubleshooting.

Potential Causes

1. Security Policies and Group Policies:
   Certain security policies enforced via Local Group Policy Editor or Administrative Templates can override user preferences, forcing sign-outs or lock screens after a set period.

2. Power and Sleep Settings:
   Misconfigured sleep or display timeout settings can trigger lock screens sooner than expected.

3. Corrupted User Profiles or System Files:
   System inconsistencies or corrupted files might interfere with normal sign-in behaviors.

4. Third-party Security Software:
   Security or management tools can impose additional restrictions affecting sign-in options.

Recommended Solutions

1. Check and Modify Group Policy Settings
2. Launch the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) as an administrator.
3. Navigate to:
   Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → System → Power Management → Sleep Settings
4. Also, check under:
   Computer Configuration → Windows Settings → Security Settings → Local Policies → Security Options
5. Search for policies related to interactive logon or session timeout, such as “Interactive logon: Machine inactivity limit