diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/DataStore.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/DataStore.cpp
index ee714f89..ab53ec5b 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/DataStore.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/DataStore.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,20 @@
+/*
+ * File: DataStore.cpp
+ * Project: companion_radio
+ * Created Date: 2026-09-26 12:03:18
+ * Author: 3urobeat
+ *
+ * Last Modified: 2026-09-26 12:16:49
+ * Modified By: 3urobeat
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 3urobeat <https://github.com/3urobeat>
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+
 #include <Arduino.h>
 #include "DataStore.h"
 #include "Features.h"   // FEAT_JOYSTICK_ROTATION_SETTING (else `#if !FEAT_…` is always true)
@@ -624,8 +641,10 @@ void DataStore::loadPrefsInt(const char *filename, NodePrefs& _prefs, double& no
 
   // append the lock-screen password. Should be empty by default
   // since struct was zero initialized in begin(), meaning password is disabled
+  // → 0xC0DE002F: append the lock-screen password
+  // → 0xC0DE0030: append the per-device password salt
   rd(_prefs.lock_screen_password, sizeof(_prefs.lock_screen_password));
-  _prefs.lock_screen_password[sizeof(_prefs.lock_screen_password) - 1] = '\0';
+  rd(_prefs.lock_screen_password_salt, sizeof(_prefs.lock_screen_password_salt));
 
   // Schema sentinel: bumped on layout changes. Mismatch means an older file
   // (or a different schema); rd() and the clamps above already keep every
@@ -825,6 +844,7 @@ void DataStore::savePrefs(const NodePrefs& _prefs, double node_lat, double node_
     file.write((uint8_t *)&_prefs.loc_share_scope, sizeof(_prefs.loc_share_scope));
     file.write((uint8_t *)&_prefs.loc_share_duration_idx, sizeof(_prefs.loc_share_duration_idx));
     file.write((uint8_t *)_prefs.lock_screen_password, sizeof(_prefs.lock_screen_password));
+    file.write((uint8_t *)_prefs.lock_screen_password_salt, sizeof(_prefs.lock_screen_password_salt));
 
     // Tail sentinel — must be last. See NodePrefs::SCHEMA_SENTINEL. Its write is
     // the one we check: once the flash fills, writes return 0, so a good
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/NodePrefs.h b/examples/companion_radio/NodePrefs.h
index 8dbc7ba6..d426b8ef 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/NodePrefs.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/NodePrefs.h
@@ -539,7 +539,9 @@ struct NodePrefs {  // persisted to file
   // Lock-screen password, empty by default. If set, a password is required to
   // unlock the lock screen.
   static const uint8_t LOCK_PASSWORD_MAX_LEN = 32;
-  char lock_screen_password[LOCK_PASSWORD_MAX_LEN];
+  static const uint8_t lock_screen_password_salt_LEN = 16;
+  uint8_t lock_screen_password[LOCK_PASSWORD_MAX_LEN];
+  uint8_t lock_screen_password_salt[lock_screen_password_salt_LEN];
 
   // Single source of truth for the live-share option tables (shared by the Map
   // UI labels and the auto-send engine in UITask).
@@ -628,7 +630,7 @@ struct NodePrefs {  // persisted to file
   // repeat_* fields) instead of at the tail, which shifted every field after
   // them by 25 bytes when loading an older file. Never released, but a dev
   // build wrote it, so the number must not be reused for anything else.
-  static const uint32_t SCHEMA_SENTINEL = 0xC0DE002F;
+  static const uint32_t SCHEMA_SENTINEL = 0xC0DE0030;
 
   // Bit-index for each home page. Used by page_order (entries store bit+1) and
   // by home_pages_mask. Single source of truth — both HomeScreen::pageBit/bitToPage
@@ -784,7 +786,8 @@ struct NodePrefs {  // persisted to file
 // (ESP32) builds, sizeof unchanged at 2824. loc_share_duration_idx (0xC0DE002E)
 // likewise (sim build; see the check below).
 // 0xC0DE002F 32 byte bump for lock_screen_password
-static_assert(sizeof(NodePrefs) == 2856,
+// 0xC0DE0030 16 byte bump for lock_screen_password_salt
+static_assert(sizeof(NodePrefs) == 2872,
               "NodePrefs layout changed — sync DataStore save/load + clamp, bump "
               "SCHEMA_SENTINEL, then update this size (see steps above).");
 
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/SettingsScreen.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/SettingsScreen.h
index 2ae38c42..3b74b680 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/SettingsScreen.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/SettingsScreen.h
@@ -873,8 +873,7 @@ public:
       auto res = _kb->handleInput(c);
       if (res == KeyboardWidget::DONE) {
         if (p) {
-          strncpy(p->lock_screen_password, _kb->buf, sizeof(p->lock_screen_password) - 1);
-          p->lock_screen_password[sizeof(p->lock_screen_password) - 1] = '\0';
+          _task->setNodeLockPassword(_kb->buf);
           _dirty = true;   // savePrefsIfDirty persists new password
         }
         _edit_lock_pass = false;
@@ -1137,7 +1136,7 @@ public:
     // LockPass: Clear password if defined or get input from keyboard
     if (_selected == LOCK_PASSWORD && p && enter) {
       if (p->lock_screen_password[0]) {
-        p->lock_screen_password[0] = '\0';
+        _task->setNodeLockPassword("");
         _dirty = true;
       } else {
         _edit_lock_pass = true;
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
index 7171e2fb..9ba6da76 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
@@ -2224,6 +2224,39 @@ bool UITask::passwordLockEnabled() const {
   return _node_prefs && _node_prefs->lock_screen_password[0] != '\0';
 }
 
+void UITask::setNodeLockPassword(const char* plain) {
+  if (!_node_prefs || !plain) return;
+  if (plain[0] == '\0') { // Clear the password
+    memset(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password, 0, sizeof(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password));
+    memset(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password_salt, 0, sizeof(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password_salt));
+    return;
+  }
+  // Generate a fresh random salt and store salted SHA-256 digest
+  mesh::RNG* rng = the_mesh.getRNG();
+  if (rng) {
+    rng->random(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password_salt, sizeof(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password_salt));
+  } else {
+    // Time as fallback entropy source
+    uint32_t t = (uint32_t)millis() ^ (uint32_t)rtc_clock.getCurrentTime();
+    memcpy(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password_salt, &t, sizeof(t));
+  }
+  mesh::Utils::sha256((uint8_t*)_node_prefs->lock_screen_password,
+                      sizeof(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password),
+                      _node_prefs->lock_screen_password_salt,
+                      sizeof(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password_salt),
+                      (const uint8_t*)plain, (int)strlen(plain));
+}
+
+bool UITask::checkNodeLockPassword(const char* entered) const {
+  if (!_node_prefs || !entered) return false;
+  uint8_t digest[NodePrefs::LOCK_PASSWORD_MAX_LEN];
+  mesh::Utils::sha256(digest, sizeof(digest),
+                      _node_prefs->lock_screen_password_salt,
+                      sizeof(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password_salt),
+                      (const uint8_t*)entered, (int)strlen(entered));
+  return memcmp(digest, _node_prefs->lock_screen_password, sizeof(digest)) == 0;
+}
+
 void UITask::beginUnlockPrompt() {
   _unlock_kb = true; // Track that keyboard is visible and is waiting for input
   int max_len = _node_prefs ? (int)sizeof(_node_prefs->lock_screen_password) - 1 : 32;
@@ -2241,7 +2274,7 @@ void UITask::cancelUnlockPrompt() {
 void UITask::handleUnlockKey(char c) {
   auto res = _kb.handleInput(c);
   if (res == KeyboardWidget::DONE) { // Process input on submit
-    if (_node_prefs && strcmp(_kb.buf, _node_prefs->lock_screen_password) == 0) {
+    if (_node_prefs && checkNodeLockPassword(_kb.buf)) {
       // Match: Unlock
       _unlock_kb = false;
       _locked = false;
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h
index 8fe7056d..964842fe 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h
@@ -306,6 +306,11 @@ private:
   void renderAlertOverlay();
 
 public:
+  // Stores new lock screen salted SHA-256 password
+  // `plain` is the raw user input, passing "" clears currently set password
+  void setNodeLockPassword(const char* plain);
+  // Verifies entered against the stored password hash. Returns match as bool
+  bool checkNodeLockPassword(const char* entered) const;
 
   UITask(mesh::MainBoard* board, BaseSerialInterface* serial) : AbstractUITask(board, serial), _display(NULL), _sensors(NULL), _node_prefs(NULL) {
     next_batt_chck = _next_refresh = 0;