lock your screen with a PIN while keeping AI agents and background processes running

the problem: macOS/Windows screen locks stop background processes, kill SSH connections, and interrupt long-running tasks

the solution: fullscreen GUI overlay that blocks interaction but keeps everything running in the background

• fullscreen black overlay with PIN unlock
• global hotkey (Cmd+Shift+L on macOS)
• prevents system sleep while locked
• keeps all apps running (AI agents, downloads, compilations, servers)
• works on macOS (Windows coming soon)
• lightweight daemon mode

cargo install --path .

or build from source:

git clone https://github.com/louis030195/agent-lock.git
cd agent-lock
cargo build --release

binary will be at target/release/agent-lock

first time setup:

agent-lock setup

enter 4-8 digit PIN (stored as SHA-256 hash)

agent-lock lock

shows fullscreen black overlay with PIN input field

• white input box appears in center
• type your PIN and press Enter or click Unlock
• cannot Ctrl+C out while locked

agent-lock daemon

runs in background - press Cmd+Shift+L to lock screen anytime

first time setup: grant Accessibility permissions when prompted

• System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility
• add Terminal (or your terminal app) to allowed apps

tip: add to startup items for always-available locking

agent-lock status

shows PIN config status and usage instructions

creates a native GUI window that:

• covers entire screen at highest window level
• captures all keyboard/mouse input
• shows only PIN entry field
• unlocks when correct PIN entered

• macOS: uses caffeinate command
• Windows: uses SetThreadExecutionState API

• PIN hashed with SHA-256
• config stored at ~/.config/screen-locker/auth.json
• unlimited unlock attempts (personal use - for stricter security, modify source)

• AI agents: autonomous agents that run for hours/days
• long compilations: rust, c++, large codebases
• data processing: ETL pipelines, ML training
• downloads/uploads: large files, backups
• server processes: local dev servers, databases
• SSH sessions: keep connections alive
• screen sharing: lock screen without disconnecting remote viewers

macOS/Windows screen locks:

• interrupt background processes
• disconnect SSH sessions
• pause some applications
• can't customize unlock mechanism
• no global hotkey support

agent-lock:

• guarantees all processes keep running
• maintains all network connections
• simple PIN unlock
• customizable hotkey
• designed for developers running background tasks

config file: ~/.config/screen-locker/auth.json (macOS)

contains SHA-256 hash of your PIN

cargo test
cargo build --release

• Windows implementation
• Linux support
• custom hotkey configuration
• rate limiting for failed attempts
• automatic lock on idle
• multiple monitor support

MIT

Louis Beaumont