---
name: "lock"
section: "1"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/lock"
---

# lock(1)

reserve a terminal

## NAME

**lock** – reserve a terminal

## SYNOPSIS

**lock** \[**-np**\] \[**-a** *style*\] \[**-t** *timeout*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**lock** requests a password from the user, reads it again for verification and then will normally not relinquish the terminal until the password is repeated.

The options are as follows:

- **-a** *style*

  The specified BSD Authentication login *style* (as specified in */etc/login.conf*) will be used to authenticate the user. If the particular *style* requires a challenge/response handshake or a special prompt, the user may enter the name of the *style* to get the standard prompt for that *style*.

- **-n**

  Lock the terminal forever. This overrides **-t** and is the default on OpenBSD unless **-t** is specified.

- **-p**

  A password is not requested, instead the user's current login password is used. If the user has an S/Key key, they may also use it to unlock the terminal. To do this the user should enter "s/key" at the unlock “Key:” prompt. The user will then be issued an S/Key challenge to which they may respond with a six-word S/Key one-time password.

- **-t** *timeout*

  Unlock the terminal after *timeout* minutes unless **-n** is also specified. When used in this manner **lock** should be invoked so that the user is safely logged out if the timeout elapses:

  ```
  $ lock -t 15 || exit
  ```

## SEE ALSO

[skey(1)](/skey/1.md), [login.conf(5)](/login.conf/5.md)

## HISTORY

The **lock** command first appeared in 2BSD.

## AUTHORS

Kurt Shoens.