documentation_complete: true

title: 'Configure GNOME Screen Locking'

description: |-
    In the default GNOME3 desktop, the screen can be locked
    by selecting the user name in the far right corner of the main panel and
    selecting <b>Lock</b>.
    <br /><br />
    The following sections detail commands to enforce idle activation of the screensaver,
    screen locking, a blank-screen screensaver, and an idle activation time.
    <br /><br />
    Because users should be trained to lock the screen when they
    step away from the computer, the automatic locking feature is only
    meant as a backup.
    <br /><br />
    The root account can be screen-locked; however, the root account should
    <i>never</i> be used to log into an X Windows environment and should only
    be used to for direct login via console in emergency circumstances.
    <br /><br />
    For more information about enforcing preferences in the GNOME3 environment using the DConf
    configuration system, see <b><weblink-macro link="http://wiki.gnome.org/dconf" /></b> and
    the man page <tt>dconf(1)</tt>. For Red Hat specific information on configuring DConf
    settings, see <b><weblink-macro link="https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/7/html/Desktop_Migration_and_Administration_Guide/part-Configuration_and_Administration.html" /></b>
