iMac wakes up and presents a sign in window

i'm hoping for you that the update to 12.1 fixes your issue. but there must be a component of monterey missing. a reinstall of monterey may be in your cards if the update doesn't fix it. and i say "a component must be missing" because that part of "users & groups" has been that way since at least catalina. and i'm sure of that because a setting in there has to do with making your "login window background" match your "desktop background".

Make sure that Automatic Login is OFF

System Preferences > Users and Groups > Login Options (system Password required to unlock)

Is there any subsequent error message that says it had to be restarted because of a problem?

My Mac Pro (2013 model) runs Mac OS 12.1.0

However, my new iMac M1 (2021) only runs 12.0.1 and it says that it is uptodate.

I'm not sure about why there are differences.

I just now go the update prompt for 12.1 (literally an hour after my post).

The other comment I had for unexpected computer wake-ups is an oversensitive mouse or trackpad or some kind of vibration. I know that sounds crazy, but my cat wakes up my computers a lot at night.

Mac_Cat wrote:

My Mac Pro (2013 model) runs Mac OS 12.1.0

However, my new iMac M1 (2021) only runs 12.0.1 and it says that it is uptodate.

I'm not sure about why there are differences.

IDK either.

The other comment I had for unexpected computer wake-ups is an oversensitive mouse or trackpad or some kind of vibration. I know that sounds crazy, but my cat wakes up my computers a lot at night.

funny enough, quite a while back i saw someone whose iMac would wake up whenever a train went by. they too thought it was attributed to an overly sensitive apple magic mouse picking up the vibrations when it would go by. :)

Ronasara wrote:

The screen shot shown is apparently not for the Monterey operating system. This version of System Preferences does not have that option.

i think we are zooming in on your issue because the screenshot of the System Preferences that Mac_Cat shows is exactly the same as that of my machine. and i'm on monterey.

I agree that you are on Monterey, however you (according to the screen shot) are running version 12.. My wife's computer is running version 12.0.1. That could account for the difference I see between hers and yours.

Users & Groups has not changed in as long as I can remember (some days that is breakfast, though).

I don't know how that could even be removed if you wanted to. I even have it and it is disabled because I have FileVault enabled.

Ronasara wrote:

I agree that you are on Monterey, however you (according to the screen shot) are running version 12.. My wife's computer is running version 12.0.1. That could account for the difference I see between hers and yours. Again, I assure you that no such options are presented in her version of Users and Groups. I have also looked deeper into Users and Groups to see if that option appears elsewhere and it does not.

I'm running 12.0.1 and mine looks exactly like the pictures above.