There is a new feature in windows referred to as Dynamic Lock. It functions to lock your computer automatically when your Bluetooth mobile device is out of range.
In this part of the write-up, we will show you how to activate the Dynamic Lock on your Windows 10.
Connect the mobile device to PC
Before you can activate Dynamic Lock on your computer, you need to first connect your PC with your mobile device. The steps below will help you to do that.
- On your computer, first navigate to Settings. Click on it and look for Devices.
- From Devices, go to Bluetooth & other devices.
- Next, turn on your Bluetooth using the toggle switch you can find there. You should also turn the Bluetooth of your phone on.
- After that, click on the + sign on the device opposite Add Bluetooth or another device.
- A pop-up box will come up. On the box, click on Add a device. Click on Bluetooth and then select the device that you want to add from the devices that appear in a list that comes up.
- You will see the prompts on your phone and computer. You should accept the prompts so that the devices can pair.
There are instances when your mobile device may not be listed on your laptop after your laptop has scanned for Bluetooth devices around your location. If you ever experience this kind of situation, simply update the Bluetooth driver on your laptop and this will help to fix the problem.
How to Update Bluetooth on the PC
You can follow the steps below to update the Bluetooth driver on your PC.
- First of all, click on the Device Manager. You can easily do this by first pressing the Start button and then typing in the search box “Device Manager”.
- Look for Bluetooth on the list that comes up and click on it.
- After that, right-click on the very first Bluetooth items that appear on the list.
- Next, click on Update Driver and select Search automatically for updated driver software.
Steps on how to activate your Dynamic Lock
Now that you have been enlightened on how to connect your PC and mobile device via Bluetooth, we will take you on how to activate it. Bear in mind that both your PC and mobile device must be paired before you can proceed with this. The steps below will help you.
- Navigate to Settings on your desktop and click on it.
- Next, search for Account on the menu and click on it.
- In the account result list, click on Sign-in options, which you can find in the left panel.
- Afterward, scroll down the page to the Dynamic Lock section of the page and click on the box you find opposite Allow Windows to detect when you are away and automatically lock the device.
That is all you have to do to activate this feature.
The actions
You must bear in mind that this feature does not provide foolproof security for your system since it does not have a foolproof security mechanism.
Why is that so? Check below for answers to the question:
- First and foremost, your computer will remain unlocked until you are out of the Bluetooth range
- Your computer will also remain unlocked for up to 30 seconds after you are out of range.
- If any other person comes across your computer while it is unlocked, the Lock will not be activated to lock the unauthorized person out.
Consequently, the PC will not be locked instantly you are out of range and anything can happen some 30 seconds after the computer is out of Bluetooth range. Be that as it may, you can rely on this feature to provide a safety net for your computer; this is possible if you lock your computer on a regular basis anytime you are leaving your desk.
If you do this, the Dynamic Lock can then be prompted to lock the computer even if you forget to do that, which may be the case in certain instances like leaving your office after you get an email about free pizza in the conference room.
Bluetooth issues to bear in mind
If you are using this type of Lock, you will depend on Bluetooth and its connection mysteries. Studies carried out on the reliability of Bluetooth connections reveal how unreliable the connections are. Some are, however, of the opinion that this unreliability may be due to recent updates of the Bluetooth technology.
Also, the functionality of the computer or that of the mobile device to be connected via Bluetooth may also contribute to the unreliability in some instances. Studies also show that the connection between the computer and the mobile device may drop after the laptop gets locked by this dynamic feature. The problem differs from one end-user to another.
There are also instances in which the Bluetooth connection can also drop when you provide your password to unlock the laptop. In such an instance, the computer may keep on reporting that the two devices are connected. Whereas the mobile device keeps on insisting that the two are not connected. To correct this anomaly, you can disconnect the devices and repeat the pairing process all over again.
No automatic unlocking
As described above, this feature can lock your computer system automatically once you are within the range of the Bluetooth.
However, the computer will not unlock automatically when it is within the range of Bluetooth. There is, however, a way around that.
If you want the Dynamic Lock to unlock your computer once you are within the range of the Bluetooth, all you have to do is to use Windows Hello and a face-recognizing IR webcam.
Most computers come with the webcam. If yours do not accept the functionality, you can get the webcam drive and update it for better functionality. It works like magic every time and can add an extra layer of protection to your computer system towards keeping unwelcomed prying eyes at bay to protect your very important data, files and documents.