How to Lock and Unlock Mac or PC Using USB Drive

Locking or unlocking a Mac or Windows PC with a USB drive sounds strange. Normally, users like to use software to enhance security of their devices. But this new way includes both a software and a hardware to protect a Mac or a Windows computer.

By using a flash drive to lock/unlock your Mac or Windows comp, you ensure that you don’t need to type in a password every time you open the system. A strong password requires addition of special characters, which are hard to remember. And if you forget the password, you need to reset MacBook Air/Pro password in macOS Sierra or in your computer running Windows system.

A USB flash drive adds an extra layer of security to your computer. If you wonder how you can do this, here is how to lock and unlock Mac or PC with USB drive.

How to Setup USB Lock on Mac or PC

Before you go ahead, you need to download and install Rohos Key Logon softwareon your Mac or Windows-enabled computer. This software can instruct a USB drive, a mobile phone or a Bluetooth device to act as a key to open your computer. Though the software comes with a price tag, you can always use a trial version to check its features.

Note that the steps mentioned here are performed on Mac, but there is minor difference while using this Rohos Key Logon on Windows computer.

Step 1: 

You must have downloaded and installed the software from the link given above. Now you need to restart your Mac once the installation process is completed.

Step 2: 

Now click on Rohos Key Logon icon from the menu bar of your Mac and then head to ‘Open Rohos Logon. This will fire up primary windows of Rohos Key Logon.

Step 3:

 Next, you need to select USB key device from the list of options; click on USB Drive box. Here, you need to ensure that USB drive you want to use for locking and unlocking should be connected with your Mac.

Step 4: 

Now type in your system login password and choose USB flash drive you wish to use as a key; and then click OK button.

Step 5:

 On the next screen, you will find ‘USB key removal action’ drop-down menu; you need to decide what action your computer should take if the USB drive is taken out of Mac/Windows PC. Here, you should choose ‘Nothing’ if you don’t wish to keep it inserted.

It is advisable to keep ‘Lock the Desktop’ for stronger security of your system. It will be easy for you to lock the system when you leave it unguarded or unattended.

Now you need to remember which flash drive you have to use to lock or unlock your Mac or Windows computer. Even after performing this, your computer is likely to be accessed by unknown person if s/he knows your password. To avoid this situation, follow two simple steps given below:

Step 1:

 Click on ‘Preferences’ from the Rohos Key Logon icon in the menu bar.

Step 2: 

On this window, you should click the checkbox: Allow login only by USB key.

Now your computer will allow login only when your insert or plug in the USB flash drive in the Mac or Windows PC.

How to Delete USB Key

If you want to remove USB key from your system, you can simply delete the USB flash drive from Rohos.

Step 1: 

Click ‘Open Rohos Logon’ from the Rohos Key Logon menu bar icon.

Step 2: 

Now click ‘Delete Key’ button.

Step 3: 

Choose the USB drive you wish to remove and then click ‘Delete’ button.

This will delete the USB flash drive you have set up to lock and unlock your Mac / MacBook Air or Pro or PC. You can go back to old days, when you used to enter password to unlock the system.

Remember that Rohos Key Logon software is available at free of cost for 15 days only; after this trial period, user has to pay $25 for nonstop usage.