Paneward Support

Paneward covers your open web pages with a privacy curtain when you step away, and removes it when you unlock with your password or PIN.

Getting started

1. Install Paneward. A setup tab opens automatically.
2. Choose a password (8+ characters) or a PIN (4 or more digits). A password gives stronger protection.
3. Save your recovery key. It is shown only once. Store it outside the browser, for example in a password manager or on paper.
4. Choose when to lock automatically: after inactivity (default 5 minutes), when your computer locks, and when the browser starts.
5. Pin Paneward to the toolbar: click the puzzle-piece icon next to the address bar, then the pin next to Paneward.

Locking

• Click the Paneward toolbar icon, then Lock now.
• Or press Ctrl+Shift+L (Windows, Linux, ChromeOS) or Command+Shift+L (macOS).
• Paneward also locks automatically after inactivity, when your operating system reports the screen is locked, and when the browser starts (each can be turned off in Settings).
• With Remote Lock turned on, a paired phone can lock the browser.

Unlocking

Click Unlock on the curtain. A separate Paneward window opens; type your password or PIN there. You can also unlock from the toolbar popup. Your password is never typed into a web page.

Frequently asked questions

I forgot my password or PIN. In the unlock window choose Forgot your password? Use recovery key. Enter your recovery key, choose a new password or PIN, and save the new recovery key it gives you. The old recovery key stops working.

I lost my recovery key too. Paneward cannot unlock without one of them; nobody (including us) has a copy. Remove Paneward at chrome://extensions and install it again. This resets Paneward's settings only; your tabs, bookmarks and browsing data are not affected.

It says "Too many attempts". After 5 wrong attempts Paneward waits 30 seconds, and longer after further wrong attempts (up to 15 minutes). The wait survives closing the window or restarting Chrome. Paneward never deletes your data or locks you out permanently.

The keyboard shortcut does nothing. Another extension may already use Ctrl+Shift+L. Open chrome://extensions/shortcuts and choose another shortcut for Paneward.

Using the shortcut from other apps. At chrome://extensions/shortcuts, set the Paneward shortcut's scope to Global. It then works while Chrome is in the background (Chrome must be running; not available on ChromeOS). Press it once to lock; press it again to open the unlock window.

It locked while I was watching a video. Chrome counts only keyboard and mouse input as activity. Choose a longer timeout in Settings → Auto Lock, or turn idle lock off.

Why can't it cover some pages? Chrome does not let any extension run on its own pages (like Settings, History or the New Tab page), the Chrome Web Store, or other extensions' pages. The toolbar popup tells you when the current page can't be covered.

Why does it need access to all websites? To place the curtain over the pages you have open. The curtain script does not read, collect or send page content. See the Privacy Policy: https://paneward.bhavik.id/privacy/.

Does it work in Incognito? Only if you allow it: chrome://extensions → Paneward → Details → Allow in Incognito. Incognito windows then share the same lock.

I use several Chrome profiles. Install Paneward in each profile. Each profile has its own password and settings.

Does it work in Microsoft Edge or other Chromium browsers? Paneward is built and tested for Google Chrome. It is expected to work in current Chromium-based browsers that support Manifest V3 extensions, but this is not guaranteed.

Remote Lock

1. On your computer: Paneward → Settings → Remote Lock → Turn on Remote Lock (Chrome asks for its push permission).
2. Choose Pair a phone and create a pairing code.
3. On your phone: scan the code with the camera, or open https://paneward.bhavik.id/remote/, tap Scan QR code or Paste pairing link, and save the pairing. You can add Paneward Remote to your home screen.
4. To lock, press and hold HOLD TO LOCK. The app says "Lock command sent" when the push service has accepted it.
5. Optional: to unlock from your phone, turn on Allow unlock from phone in Settings → Remote Lock (you'll enter your current PIN or password). Then press and hold HOLD TO UNLOCK in the phone app. Phones paired before this option existed need to be paired again.

Your phone can unlock your browser only if you turned on Allow unlock from phone in Settings → Remote Lock. To stop a phone from locking or unlocking your browser, revoke it in Settings → Remote Lock, or remove it inside the phone app.

You can pair several phones with one browser; each one can be removed on its own. Pairing the same phone again replaces its old card in the phone app. Once paired, the phone works from anywhere it has internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data).

Chrome must be running on the computer (it can be minimised). If Chrome is closed, a lock command waits up to 24 hours and is applied when Chrome starts. On Windows you can keep Chrome available in the background with Chrome Settings → System → Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed.

Check the connection: Settings → Remote Lock → Test connection sends a test message from the relay to this browser and tells you whether it arrived.

"No longer paired" (phone app) — the phone was removed in Settings on the computer, or Remote Lock was turned off there. Tap Remove from this phone, then pair again. "Chrome on your computer isn't reachable right now" (phone app) — Chrome is closed or its push connection is being renewed. Open Chrome on the computer; Paneward reconnects by itself within moments of starting. If it keeps happening, use Test connection. "Couldn't reach Paneward" (phone app) — the phone has no internet connection, or the relay is temporarily unavailable. Try again.

Known limitations

• Paneward is designed to prevent casual access to your normal web browsing session when you step away. It is not a replacement for your operating system's user account or screen lock.
• Paneward covers normal web pages (http:// and https://). Chrome does not allow extensions to run on its own pages, so the following are NOT covered: chrome:// pages (Settings, History, Downloads, Extensions, Bookmarks manager), the New Tab page, the Chrome Web Store, other extensions’ pages, view-source: pages and Chrome’s built-in PDF viewer. The toolbar popup tells you when the current page cannot be covered.
• Someone who can use your computer can open those Chrome pages, open DevTools, or disable or remove Paneward at chrome://extensions. Chrome gives the person at the keyboard control over their extensions, and Paneward does not try to prevent this.
• Tab titles, site icons, the address bar and the bookmarks bar belong to Chrome itself and remain visible while locked.
• Local files (file://) are not covered; Paneward does not request file access.
• Tabs that were discarded by Chrome to save memory are covered as soon as they reload.
• On a very fast page load, content can theoretically render for a split second before the curtain appears; at browser start-up Paneward shows the curtain first and removes it only once it has confirmed the browser is unlocked.
• Audio or video that was already playing keeps playing behind the curtain (it is hidden, not paused).
• Chrome measures inactivity from keyboard and mouse input only, so watching a video without touching the keyboard or mouse can trigger idle auto-lock.
• “Lock when your computer locks” depends on the operating system reporting a locked screen to Chrome; this is not available on every system.
• On macOS, closing all windows without quitting Chrome is not a browser restart, so startup lock does not run then.
• Each Chrome profile is separate: it has its own Paneward password, settings and remote pairing. Incognito windows are covered only if you enable “Allow in Incognito” for Paneward in chrome://extensions.
• Your password or PIN is stored only as a salted PBKDF2 hash. Someone who copies your Chrome profile files could try to guess it offline; a 4-digit PIN has only 10,000 possibilities, so choose a password for stronger protection.
• If you forget your password or PIN and lose your recovery key, Paneward cannot unlock. You can remove and reinstall the extension (this resets Paneward; it does not delete your browsing data).
• Remote Lock needs the Paneward relay service, Google’s push service and an internet connection on both devices. “Lock command sent” means the push service accepted the command; Web Push does not confirm delivery.
• Phone unlock is off by default. If you turn it on, anyone holding your unlocked, paired phone can unlock the browser. Revoke a lost phone right away.

Contact

Use the support page at https://paneward.bhavik.id/support/, or the developer contact e-mail shown on Paneward's Chrome Web Store listing. When you write, include your Chrome version and operating system. Never send us your password, PIN or recovery key; we will never ask for them.