Lock Keyboard and Mouse on Linux with xtrlock – Prevent Accidental Input

1. Install xtrlock

The xtrlock program is available in the default repositories of most Linux distributions. On Debian‑based systems such as Debian, Ubuntu, and Linux Mint you can install it directly with the package manager: $ sudo apt-get install xtrlock Other distributions use their own package commands (e.g., dnf, pacman, etc.).

2. Create a script to lock the keyboard and mouse

After installing xtrlock, create an executable script named lockkbmouse in /usr/local/bin: sudo vim /usr/local/bin/lockkbmouse Insert the following content and save the file (Esc, then :wq in vim):

#!/bin/bash
sleep 1 && xtrlock

Make the script executable:

sudo chmod a+x /usr/local/bin/lockkbmouse

3. Bind the script to a keyboard shortcut

a) Ubuntu (GNOME)

Open Settings → Devices → Keyboard , click the “+” button to add a new shortcut, give it a name, and set the command to: bash -c "sleep 1 && xtrlock" Assign a key combination such as Alt+K . Confirm the shortcut and close the settings window. The following screenshots illustrate the process:

Press the chosen key combination; the mouse pointer will turn into a lock icon, indicating that both mouse and keyboard are locked while the screen remains visible.

b) Arch Linux with MATE

Navigate to System → Preferences → Hardware → Keyboard Shortcuts , click “Add”, give the shortcut a name, and use the same command: bash -c "sleep 1 && xtrlock" Assign a key combination such as Alt+K. The screenshots below show the configuration steps:

4. Unlocking the keyboard and mouse

To unlock, simply type your password and press Enter . The password entry is hidden, so just type it and press Enter. If the password is incorrect, the system will beep; press Esc to clear the entry, then try again. You can also delete characters with Backspace or Delete .

5. Recovering from a permanent lock

On some distributions (e.g., those using GDM) xtrlock may freeze the screen. Test the tool first in a virtual machine. If you become permanently locked, switch to a TTY with Ctrl+Alt+F2 and terminate the process: $ sudo killall xtrlock For additional options, consult the manual page:

$ man xtrlock