How do I lock the desktop screen via command line?

command-line lock-screen

108,255

Solution 1

You can lock the computer by running gnome-screensaver-command with the -l flag like so:

gnome-screensaver-command -l

However this will only work if you have Gnome Screensaver running for your session (should be - unless you've disabled it) you can start that from the commandline with:

gnome-screensaver

Solution 2

In newer versions of GNOME 3, gnome-screensaver is no more.

The generic solution seems to be

xdg-screensaver lock

You also can call dbus directly instead (source):

dbus-send --type=method_call --dest=org.gnome.ScreenSaver /org/gnome/ScreenSaver org.gnome.ScreenSaver.Lock

It also seems they have taken away the possibility to unlock the screen from the command line.

Solution 3

gnome-screensaver-command -l

If you're in a different (desktop) session (e.g. virtual console, switched to another login, SSH), specify the display explicitly (:0 is the default display):

DISPLAY=:0 gnome-screensaver-command -l

To unlock, use the -d (--deactivate) option.

Solution 4

gnome-screensaver-command --lock will do it.

Solution 5

Under KDE dm-tool lock will work (for me on Kubuntu 15.04).

View more solutions

108,255

Renjith G

Working as a system programmer

Updated on September 17, 2022

Comments

Renjith G over 1 year

How can I lock my desktop screen from the command line?
- Wilf over 9 years
  
  For newer versions of Ubuntu, you can try: askubuntu.com/questions/457204/…
Renjith G over 13 years

can you clarify me the DISPALY=:0 option?
It Grunt over 13 years

Sorry for my English... DISPLAY is a variable and define in which display an X Window System program renders to (it can be another monitor). In TTY this variable is empty. By default, first display is ":0.0". So use DISPLAY=:x before your command, indicates in which display run the command. And use DISPLAY=:0 or DISPLAY=:0.0 indicates: run the program in the first display.
nanofarad about 12 years

@RenjithG this is quite clear if you think about it, also please do not be rude to the author of the previous comment.
Admin over 10 years

cinnamon-screensaver-command -l for cinnamon! ;))
domih over 8 years

This works perfect, thx! Now I can add a keyboard shortcut to fix my broken lock screen command.
solsTiCe over 5 years

yes. very good answer. one command to rule them all ! :-)
StaNov over 4 years

This is the answer you are looking for in 2019.
Thomas W. over 3 years

This is the solution when using lightdm.
xliiv almost 3 years

xdg-screensaver lock works for me in Mate Desktop on FreeBSD
pbhj over 2 years

@xliiv, same command works for sddm in Kubuntu too.