Picword

Picword is a lightweight Windows application whose sole purpose is to help you lock your screen by selecting three targets on the desired photo.
It comes in handy for all users who want to lock their desktop while they are away for making sure others cannot access their sensitive data. When you run the tool for the first time, you are offered a short tutorial about how to make the most out of every single built-in feature.

How it works

Compared to other similar lockdown tools, which let you encrypt data by setting up passwords, Picword makes the entire process seem nothing but a piece of cake.
The program gives you the possibility to carry out the encryption process by selecting three targets on a picture. The order of the clicks does matter, so you need to remember it in order to unlock the desktop. Additionally, you can enter a PIN which can be used to unlock your computer in case you forgot the photo targets.

Configuration settings

You are allowed to change the background image, provided that you have entered the correct PIN, and select the mouse click type that should be performed while pressing on the right image target, namely single, connect, or long click.
Last but not least, you can view the time and date displayed in the main panel, clear all mouse clicks with minimal effort, remove the utility if you specify the correct PIN, as well as hide mouse clicks and two dedicated buttons used for clearing the workspace and opening up the configuration panel.

Performance

During the locking process the Task Manager is blocked, so make sure you remember the correct photo targets or save the PIN, otherwise it may prove to be pretty difficult to unlock your desktop. Plus, the tool disables some of the system keys, such as Ctrl, Shift, and Alt.
Since it doesn’t require much computer knowledge to set up the dedicated parameters, even rookies can master the entire process with minimum effort.
However, it cannot compete with other powerful utilities on the market, as it doesn’t comprise advanced features. It would have been useful to see support for automatic locking options or scheduled tasks, and email alerts each time a user tries to gain access to your PC, just to name a few suggestions.
During our testing we have noticed that Picword carries out a task very quickly. It leaves a minimal footprint on system resources, so the overall performance of the computer is not hampered.

Bottom line

All in all, Picword seems to be the right choice in case you are looking for a simple-to-use desktop lockdown program that comes packed with several handy features.