In Python 3, how can I tell if Windows is locked?

Question

How can I check whether a Windows OS workstation is locked? (e.g. Win+L or choosing the lock option after Ctrl+Alt+Del.)

I want something like ctypes.windll.us

Answer 1

This code worked today for me on four different Windows 7 and 10 machines, try something similar:

import ctypes
import time
user32 = ctypes.windll.User32
time.sleep(5)
#
#print(user32.GetForegroundWindow())
#
if (user32.GetForegroundWindow() % 10 == 0): print('Locked')
# 10553666 - return code for unlocked workstation1
# 0 - return code for locked workstation1
#
# 132782 - return code for unlocked workstation2
# 67370 -  return code for locked workstation2
#
# 3216806 - return code for unlocked workstation3
# 1901390 - return code for locked workstation3
#
# 197944 - return code for unlocked workstation4
# 0 -  return code for locked workstation4
#
else: print('Unlocked')

Edit: Also, this one works today:

import subprocess
import time
time.sleep(5)
process_name='LogonUI.exe'
callall='TASKLIST'
outputall=subprocess.check_output(callall)
outputstringall=str(outputall)
if process_name in outputstringall:
    print("Locked.")
else: 
    print("Unlocked.")

Answer 2

From the LockWorkStation() documentation:

There is no function you can call to determine whether the workstation is locked.

Not a Python limitation, but the system itself.

Answer 3

What works for me on Windows 10 Pro is getting the foreground window:

whnd = win32gui.GetForegroundWindow()
(_, pid) = win32process.GetWindowThreadProcessId(whnd)
handle = win32api.OpenProcess(win32con.PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS, False, pid)
filename = win32process.GetModuleFileNameEx(handle, 0)
window_text = win32gui.GetWindowText(whnd)

This returns Windows Default Lock Screen as window title and C:\Windows\SystemApp\Microsoft.LockApp_<randomcharacters>\LockApp.exe as filename when locked.

However, as James Koss mentioned, GetForeGroundWindow will return 0 if the user is typing their password. There are also other (non-locked) situations where the current ForegroundWindow is 0, so this cannot be relied upon.

Answer 4

You can get the window on top, when the session is locked, the function return 0.

import ctypes
user32 = ctypes.windll.User32

def isLocked():
    return user32.GetForegroundWindow() == 0

Answer 5

Based on @Stardidi answer, this worked for me (Windows 10 Pro):

import time
import win32gui
import win32api
import win32con
import win32process

while True:
    time.sleep(1)
    _, pid = win32process.GetWindowThreadProcessId(win32gui.GetForegroundWindow())

    try:
        handle = win32api.OpenProcess(win32con.PROCESS_ALL_ACCESS, False, pid)
        filename = win32process.GetModuleFileNameEx(handle, 0)
    except Exception as _e:
        filename = "LockApp.exe"
        del _e

    current_status = "locked" if "LockApp" in filename else "unlocked"

Answer 6

Something like this should do the trick:

import time
import ctypes

user32 = ctypes.windll.User32
OpenDesktop = user32.OpenDesktopA
SwitchDesktop = user32.SwitchDesktop
DESKTOP_SWITCHDESKTOP = 0x0100

while 1:
  hDesktop = OpenDesktop ("default", 0, False, DESKTOP_SWITCHDESKTOP)
  result = SwitchDesktop (hDesktop)
  if result:
    print "Unlocked"
    time.sleep (1.0)
  else:
    print time.asctime (), "still locked"
    time.sleep (2)