Last Updated on May 14, 2026
If you have a Windows based computer at the office, you most likely have realized that you need to press the Ctrl-Alt-Del keyboard combination to get to the password box where you can then sign into your computer. The reason for having to type in Ctrl-Alt-Del when you sign in is so that to ensure that the log in process is actually secure by reducing the risk of any malicious software intercepting your password. The process itself is called the Secure Attention Sequence.
But for home users and even small office users, you might not have to type in Ctrl-Alt-Del when signing in and only have to enter your Windows password or PIN. But if you want to enable the secure sign in (Ctrl-Alt-Del) in Windows, there are several ways to do so. Activating this feature adds a fantastic extra layer of security against background programs trying to steal your credentials.
1. Open the Network Places Wizard
The first method we will be discussing to enable the secure sign in option is by going to the old Windows user settings that can be accessed by typing Netplwiz in the search box. Netplwiz is short for Network places wizard and has been around for many older versions of Windows. It still works perfectly on modern operating systems today.
2. Require the Secure Attention Sequence
Once you have the Network places wizard tool open on your screen, you can click on the Advanced tab located right at the top of the window. Then check the box for Require users to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete. If this checkbox is greyed out then there might be some other administrative policy or setting configured on your computer causing it to lock.
3. Launch the Local Security Policy
The next method will only work for computers running the professional version of Windows. It involves opening the Windows Local Security Policy and changing the login option directly from there. You can easily open the Local Security Policy tool by typing secpol.msc in your bottom taskbar search box and hitting Enter.
4. Navigate to the Interactive Logon Policy
Once you have the Local Security Policy console open, you will need to navigate through the left side folders to find the correct setting. Click your way down to Local Policies > Security Options > Interactive logon: Do not require CTRL+ALT+DEL to find the specific rule we want to modify. You will most likely see that this specific policy is currently set to Not Defined.
5. Disable the Policy Setting
You can simply double click on that policy name to open its properties window and change the core setting. You will now need to change this policy to Disabled even though you would naturally think that you should set it to enabled. Click on the OK button at the bottom of the window and the changes should take effect immediately.
6. Open the Windows Registry Editor
The final method to enable the secure sign in option is to make a simple registry edit on the computer that you want to have the Ctrl-Alt-Del security setting applied to. To open the Windows Registry Editor, you can type regedit directly into the search box. Say yes to the UAC administrative prompt when the screen dims to allow the application to make system changes.
7. Locate the System Policies Key
Next, you will need to carefully navigate to the correct registry folder using the left side tree menu. You can also quickly copy and paste the text below into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor to jump right there. The exact path you need is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System for this modification.
8. Find or Create the DisableCAD Value
Now you will need to find the DisableCAD DWORD value located in the right pane of the Registry Editor window. If you do not have a DisableCAD DWORD value listed there, you can right click on the System folder key and choose the New > DWORD (32-bit) Value option. You can then manually create this value while making absolutely sure to use the exact capital letters as shown in the example.
9. Modify the Value Data
You can then double click on your DisableCAD entry to change its numerical options. From here you will need to change the Value data box from a 1 to a 0. Also make certain that the Base setting is set to Hexadecimal and not Decimal before you click the OK button to save your work.
10. Verify Your New Security Screen
Once you have successfully enabled the secure sign in (Ctrl-Alt-Del) option in Windows using any of these methods, you can test it out. The next time you restart your machine or log in from a locked screen, you should immediately see a message that says Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to unlock. Pressing those three keys together will then safely reveal your standard PIN or password entry box.
For additional training resources, check out our online IT training courses.
Check out our extensive IT book series.
