When the Apple Watch's Auto Unlock works, it's magical. You open or approach your Mac while wearing your Apple Watch and, instead of having to type in your — hopefully long, strong — password, it just logs you in. No fuss. No muss.
And if you have an Apple Watch, you can unlock your Mac right from your wrist. Using Knock won't drain your iPhone's battery, even if you use it all day every day. Knock securely communicates with your Mac using Bluetooth Low Energy, a new technology that draws very little power.
But when it's not working, you might feel anger, frustration, blame, recriminations, along with having to type in that — hopefully long, strong — password. Not so much fun.
So what can you do when Auto Unlock doesn't work? Here's an in-depth guide to help you out.
Some basic Auto Unlock troubleshooting
If you can't enable Auto Unlock (or it was working, but stopped), here are a few of more obvious problems we've run across:
You can also check your setup process and make sure everything's still working there:
These quick fixes fail to address your issue? Check out our more in-depth troubleshooting options below.
Is Automatic Login enabled?
If so, you should disable it.
Is your Apple Watch paired correctly?
This has happened to iMore staffers before: Editor Lory Gil had forgotten to pair her existing Apple Watch with her new iPhone, which momentarily broke Auto Unlock.
Reset the radiosApple Watch To Unlock Your Mac Using An App For Android
Auto unlock requires Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi to be up and running on both your Apple Watch and Mac in order to work. If one or both radios have been turned off on one or both devices, or somehow stopped responding, Auto Unlock will likewise stop working. Cycling them can sometimes jump start everything back into action.
On your Apple Watch:
On your Mac:
Once you're done, try auto-unlock again. If it works, great. If not, keep reading.
Reboot everything
The next thing to try is a hard reset. Make all the 'reboot Windows' jokes you want but it's a cliche for a reason!
On your Apple Watch:
On your Mac:
Once you've rebooted, auto-unlock will be temporarily disabled. Enter your password to re-enable it. Then let your Mac sleep and try auto-unlock again.
Apple Watch To Unlock Your Mac Using An App For IphoneCheck for updates
Apple's Bluetooth and Wi-Fi stacks—the set of software that controls the radios—aren't without occasional quirks. Sometimes, new versions of watchOS or macOS introduce compatibility problems; other times, they fix them. If you're having Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity problems, you're better off updating than not. If it's already broken, the update is your chance for a fix.
On your iPhone:
On your Mac:
Once you're done updating, try to use auto-unlock again — after you've logged in follow with a reboot to re-enable it! If it works, awesome. If not, there's even more to try!
Re-pair your Apple Watch
Re-pairing your Apple Watch is a huge pain, but if something has gone wrong with the connection between your iPhone and Apple Watch, secure information won't be transmitted properly, and that will stop auto-unlock dead.
Once your Apple Watch has been unpaired, repeat the pairing process, restoring from your most recent backup. You'll have to re-enable Auto Unlock in your Mac's System Preferences again, but once that's done, auto-unlock should be back up and running. If not, you have one option left..
![]() Contact Apple
Sometimes a problem really is a problem. Like any electronics, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios and the various connections to them can have problems. If you have AppleCare+, don't walk, run to your local Apple Store to get it looked at.
Other questions?
Let us know below.
Updated December 2019: Updated to reflect macOS Catalina and watchOS 6.
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Discord and others are down worldwide due to issues with CloudfareUnlocking A Mac With Apple Watch
Discord appears to be down worldwide due to some kind of outage. The team at Discord has acknowledged the issue, and promises that a fix is on the way.
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December 2020
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