Once you select Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac you will see a Turning On message. You may need to enter your password. From now on if you wake up your Mac while wearing your Apple Watch. Enable Apple Watch to unlock Mac After that, make sure the Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac box is checked. A Turning On message will then appear, and might ask you to enter your password. Nov 01, 2019 To activate this feature, go to System Preferences Security & Privacy General and check Use your Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac. This allows you to wake up your Mac, and approve certain secure actions in macOS. That's because the feature has to be enabled from the Mac on which you want to use Auto Unlock.) To enable it, go to System Preferences Security & Privacy and tick the box to the left of Allow.
Locking your Mac is a great security feature to protect important data when away from the computer. Depending on the Mac, you need to enter a password or use Touch ID to unlock the computer when back at your desk.
But if you’re an Apple Watch user, the wearable device can save that extra time. Let’s take a look at how to unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch.
What You’ll Need
For the automatic unlocking, you’ll need to have a mid-2013 or later Mac. The Apple Watch needs to have watchOS 3 or later installed. Your Mac and Apple Watch both need to be signed into the same iCloud account.
Also, make sure Bluetooth is enabled on both the Mac and Apple Watch.
Your Apple ID will also need to have two-factor authentication enabled. If you’re not aware of that feature, it provides an extra layer of security. Even if someone knows your password, they still won’t be able to access your account.
With two-factor authentication enabled, you’ll need to provide two pieces of information whenever you sign into the account with a new device. Along with a password, you’ll need to provide a six-digit verification code sent to your phone number or shown on other signed-in devices.
While it does require a few steps to enable, it’s an extremely important safety measure to keep your private data safe.
Macbook pro hard drive mount. Related: The Pros and Cons of Two-Factor Authentication Types and Methods
Set Up the Automatic Unlock Feature
It’s time to head to your Mac and select the Apple Menu and then System Preferences. Select Security & Privacy and then General.
To make changes, tap the lock on the bottom-left side next to Click the lock to make changes. You’ll need to enter the Mac’s administrator password.
After that, you can then select the Apple Watch under Use Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac. If you happen to own more than one Apple Watch, you can also select which ones to unlock your Mac.
Unlocking a Mac With Your Apple Watch
With that complete, you can now unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch. Just bring the watch near your Mac and you’ll feel a quick tap on your wrist. A message will appear on the watch screen that says the name of your computer and that it was unlocked by this Apple Watch.
On the Mac screen, you’ll see Unlocking with Apple Watch.
Just to note: when restarting your Mac, macOS does require that you enter the password for the computer. But after that, you can freely unlock the Mac with your Watch.
If you’re having problems with the automatic unlocking feature, there are a few things to try. First, make sure to place Watch close to the Mac, within one to two feet. It won’t unlock from across the room.
Next, try restarting both the Mac and Apple Watch. Also, double-check to make sure that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled on the Mac and Bluetooth is turned on for the Apple Watch. If that doesn’t help, try to re-pair your Apple Watch to the iPhone.
Another Great Apple Watch Feature
The ability to quickly and easily unlock your Mac with the Apple Watch might not have been a feature you previously knew about. But it’s definitely a time-saving option that makes the Watch even more useful.
And if you’re looking to use your wearable device longer without needing a charger, make sure to take a look at some great ways to save battery life on your Apple Watch.
Auto Unlock works when you're wearing your unlocked watch and are very close to your Mac. If necessary, move your watch a little closer.
How to automatically log in
This feature gives you instant access to your Mac when you're wearing your Apple Watch. Just wake up your Mac and you’re ready to go—without typing a password.
The first time you log in after you turn on, restart, or log out of your Mac, you must log in by entering your password manually. After that, Apple Watch logs in for you.
Apple Watch Will Not Unlock
How to approve other password requests
You can also use your Apple Watch to approve other requests to enter your administrator password. This feature requires watchOS 6 and macOS Catalina. It works anywhere you need to type your Mac password, such as when viewing passwords in Safari preferences, unlocking a locked note, approving an app installation, or unlocking settings in System Preferences.
For example, when you click the lock to make a change in System Preferences, your Mac prompts you to approve with Apple Watch or Touch ID:
To automatically enter your password without having to type it, just double-click the side button on your Apple Watch:
How to set up Auto Unlock
- Make sure that your Mac and Apple Watch meet the system requirements for Auto Unlock.
- Make sure that your devices are set up as follows:
- Your Mac has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.
- Your Mac and Apple Watch are signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID, and your Apple ID is using two-factor authentication.
- Your Apple Watch is using a passcode.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Security & Privacy. Select ”Use your Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac” or ”Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac.”
If you're not sure whether your Mac supports Auto Unlock, press and hold the Option key while choosing Apple menu > System Information. Select Wi-Fi in the sidebar, then look for ”Auto Unlock: Supported” on the right:
Learn more
Latest apple security update. If you're having difficulty getting Auto Unlock to work, try these solutions:
- In Security & Privacy preferences, deselect ”Use your Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac” or ”Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac.” Then restart your Mac and turn this setting back on.
- Make sure that your Mac isn't using Internet sharing or screen sharing.
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