114. Automatically Log Out BEFORE YOU BEGIN 110 Enable and Disable Automatic Login 111 Log In from the Login Window SEE ALSO 112 Switch to Another User If you have a shared computer with multiple users, and you're not sure you trust the other users not to mess with your stuff (for example, if the computer is shared at a school or with an inquisitive little brother), it might be a good idea to configure Mac OS X to log out automatically after a certain period of keyboard or mouse inactivity. This ensures that if you get up and walk away from the Mac without properly logging yourself out, a mischievous interloper can't come by an hour later and start pawing through your settings and personal documents. After a period of inactivity that you set, your session will automatically end, and the Mac will return to the login window so that only valid users can access the computer by logging in properly. | 1. | Open the Security Preferences Open the System Preferences application (under the Apple menu); click Security to open the Security Preferences pane. | | 2. | Enable Automatic Log Out Select the Log out after check box to allow Mac OS X to log you out after the default period of 60 minutes of inactivity. | | 3. | Set the Inactivity Time To adjust how long you want Mac OS X to wait before logging you out, use the up and down arrows to change the period one minute at a time. Alternatively, enter a number of minutes by selecting the existing number and typing. The value you enter must be a number between 5 and 960 . If you enter a larger or smaller number, the value is automatically adjusted to the nearest valid value. | | 4. | Confirm Log Out When the specified period of inactivity elapses, you will get a dialog box that gives you 120 seconds to cancel logout (or immediately confirm it). If you are running any applications with unsaved data, they will prevent Mac OS X from logging you out. Always make sure that all your data is saved before you get up and walk away! | 114. Automatically Log Out |