Unlocking a Mac with the Apple Watch may seem like a simple thing, but it's one of the countless tricks the device has up its sleeve designed to make your life simpler. And whenever there's a way. The Apple Watch auto unlock feature only works on mid-2013 or new Macs. But Redditor jjborcean has figured out a hack for automatically unlocking his late 2012 Retina MacBook Pro with his Apple Watch. He explains: Auto Unlock in watchOS 3 / macOS Sierra is only supported on mid-2013 or newer Mac models. Have an older Mac? Apple watch should be connected to WiFi (On the apple watch Settings - WiFi - connect to the network) 2. Macbook should be connected to the same WiFi network as Apple Watch. Profit - option appears on the screen! Apple plz add those steps to the guide How to unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch - Apple Support.
Here is best ways for How to enable Auto Unlock on your Mac and Apple Watch. These will definitely useful to enable Auto Unlock on your Mac and Apple Watch
Apple suite download. MacOS Sierra and watchOS 3 gives you the ability to unlock your Mac computer just by sitting at it. You can only do this, though, if you’re wearing your Apple Watch when you sit down.
Make sure your Apple Watch has a passcode enabled Make sure your Mac and Apple Watch are both signed into iCloud using the same Apple ID Make sure your Mac isn't currentlyusing internet or screen sharing. An Apple Watch running watchOS 3. Your Apple Watch will need to be updated to watchOS 3 and secured with a passcode. To setup a passcode, open the Watch app on iOS and select Passcode under My Watch.
That’s thanks to the new “Auto Unlock” feature that lets you access your computer without logging into it. This gives you some convenience, especially if you are likely to walk away from your Mac while working on something and come back to it. That way you don’t always have to enter your password. You just have to wake it up to start using it again.
It’s not for everyone. You must have a Mac that’s mid-2013 or after and has macOS Sierra installed on it. You must also have to have the Watch OS3 installed on your Apple Watch.
Here’s a checklist of what you have to do next.
Enable Bluetooth and WiFi on your computer
Set up a passcode on your Apple Watch
Disable Two-Step Verification for Apple ID
Enable Two-Factor Authentication for Apple ID
Enable your Mac’s Auto Unlock feature
Sign into the same iCloud account on both devices
Set up Two-Factor Authentication
Before you set up Two-Factor Authentication, you must disable Two-Step Verification.
To do so, visit applied.apple.com on your Mac and sign in to your Apple ID. Once you have, click in Edit in the security section. Click on Turn Off Two-Step Verification. A note will pop up asking you to answer security questions, confirm your birthdate and recovery email. After you enter those, you can turn off Two-Step Verification.
Now you can turn on Two-Factor Authentication.
Go to your Mac and click on the Apple icon then System Preferences. Click on iCloud and Account Details.
Once in your account, click on Security and Set Up Two-Factor Authentication. You will have to enter your phone number so that Apple can send you a verification code to enter.
Set up passcode on Apple Watch
Your Apple Watch will need to have a passcode to use the unlock Mac feature. Go to Settings then Passcode on your Apple Watch. Tap Enable Passcode and enter a passcode, making sure to write it down or save it somehow in case if you forget it.
Set up Auto-Unlock
Now it’s time to set up Auto-Unlock and enjoy the convenience of it.
Go to your Mac and click on the Apple icon in the top menu. Go to System Preferences then Security and Privacy.
Once in Security and Privacy, click on General and click the checkbox next to Allow Your Apple Watch to Unlick Your Mac. You will need to enter your administrative password in order to launch Auto Unlock.
Troubleshooting
How To Enable Apple Watch Unlock Mac
Not working? Let’s run through the steps and see what’s wrong.
Is your Mac compatible? Remember it must be from mid-2013 or newer.
Is your Apple Watch running watch OS3 or higher? Watch OS2 won’t work.
Did you turn on Two-Factor Authentication? Two-Step Verification will not work.
Are your Mac and Apple Watch signed into the same iCloud account using the same Apple ID?
Do both your Apple Watch and Mac have a passcode? Both must have a passcode in order for this to work.
Is Automatic Login disabled? It can’t be enabled for the Auto Unlock to work. Go on your computer, click on the Apple icon then System Preferences. Go to Users & Groups, click Lock and enter your system administrator password. Next, click on Login Options and choose Off in the Automatic Login menu.
You also want to make sure to be wearing your Apple Watch. It isn’t going to work if you don’t have your Apple Watch with you, so this is one more reason to wear your watch. (If you needed another reason to strap that technology onto your wrist.)
Auto unlock Mac with Apple Watch feature doesn't work, how to fix?
Many users were pleased when Apple introduced the new macOS version and a function allowing them to unlock their computers via Apple Watch. This function allows access to computers without entering a password by using an associated watch in close proximity. This invokes an automatic sign-in, but unfortunately does mean that the password must be entered for the first time after rebooting the computer. Despite the convenience of this system, people have encountered various issues, such as incorrect security options on iCloud logins, miscommunication between Mac and the Apple Watch, and so on.
Fortunately, most of the problems are straightforward to solve by following a few easy steps. Without proper knowledge, however, this situation might seem quite confusing. For example, if auto unlock works properly there is no regular need to remember a password (since it is not required at log in), but if the function fails, suddenly you are required to recall it (not easy if it was a complicated combination of characters and numbers). This is just one potentially difficult case that people encounter when the unlock with an Apple Watch fails. In this article, we describe the most common issues and solutions, and how to properly set two-factor authentication rather than two-step verification, which is one way to enable the auto unlock function.
Table of Contents:
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Basic requirements for your watch and Mac to enable auto unlock function
We begin with checking your system and software. Ensure you fulfil all of the following requirements:
Auto unlock function is available only for Mac computers released in 2013 or later.
Apple Watch series 0, 1, or 2 must be running on watchOS 3 or later and computer on macOS Sierra or newer version to enable Auto Unlock feature, while Apple Watch Series 3 requires watchOS 4 and Mac running on macOS High Sierra or later.
Two-factor authentication must be enabled for your iCloud. The most common problem is that two-factor authentication is not enabled or users are still using Apple's old two-step verification protection.
Apple Watch and Mac computer must be signed with the same iCloud account. If devices are signed with different accounts, the Auto Unlock function will be unavailable.
Both devices, Apple Watch and Mac computer, must have a passcode enabled. If one of the devices does not have an enabled passcode, the Auto Unlock function will be unavailable.
Switch from two-step verification to two-factor authentication
Before you try to switch between protections, ensure that all devices connected to your iCloud account meets the requirements. Sign in to the AppleID website and study the Devices section. Minimum requirements for iOS devices is version 9 or later, watches must be running on versions of OS 2, and computers with OS X El Capitan or later. Machine software download.
To change the protection method, log into Apple ID website.
You must use a two-step code to confirm your action.
Find the Security section where you should be able to find a label displaying Two-Step Verification and 'On' beneath it. Otherwise, skip the next two steps (since two-step verification is not configured for your account).
Click on Edit, click Turn Off Two-Step Verification, and then click again to confirm your action.
Apple will ask you to create security questions to protect your account. This is required since your account is currently protected by password only.
In addition, you will need a device associated with your iCloud account. You can use a Mac computer or any iOS device that meets the minimum requirements listed above.
Enable two-factor authentication using a Mac computer:
Open iCloud under System Preferences, and then click on Account Details.
Enter the password when asked and choose Security Tab.
Click Turn on Two-Factor Authentication and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you wish to turn on two-factor authentication using any iOS device:
Open the device settings and tap on iCloud.
Select your Apple ID and enter the password if asked.
Tap Password & Security, select Turn on Two-Factor Authentication, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
We recommend that you set more than one backup phone number if possible - this is good protection against lost or broken mobile phones.
Ensure Automatic Login is disabled
The Auto Unlock function cannot work together with automatic login enabled on a system, so ensure this that feature is disabled. First, open Mac System Preferences and choose Users & Groups. Select Login Options, click on lock, and confirm your action by entering a system administrator password to make the changes. Once you have changed the settings, click the drop-down menu next to Automatic login and select Off.
Reset connections via radio waves
Check that the Auto unlock feature works by using both Bluetooth version 4.2 and Wi-Fi connections. First, ensure both devices are enabled and connected via these signals. These connections can revert to a non-responsive state, resulting in a lost connection and failure of the Auto unlock function. Macbook screenshot shortcut keys. The best solution is to reset both connections.
To reset connections on your Apple watch, swipe up to bring up control center. Tap the Airplane Mode button, which will disable all connections. Once Airplane mode is enabled, it will turn to yellow. Tap again to disable Airplane Mode and the watch will try to reconnect automatically.
To reset connections on a Mac, click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar at top left corner of the screen. Then select Turn Bluetooth Off. Enable it by clicking the icon again and selecting Turn Bluetooth On.
Next, click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar next to Bluetooth and select Turn Wi-Fi Off. Enable the connection again by repeating the steps and check if the auto unlock feature works.
Unlocking Mac With Apple Watch
Reboot devices
Restarting electronic devices is always an option, and can sometimes solve even serious problems. Restart Apple Watch by holding down the Digital Crown and Side button simultaneously. Keep holding the buttons until you see the Apple logo. To restart the Mac, click the Apple logo and select Restart. Finally, when your devices reboot, enter the password for the first time to enable the auto unlock function. Let the Mac 'Sleep' and try the auto unlock feature again.
Check for system update
New versions of operating systems often have compatibility problems, with subsequent versions providing fixes. This might be the case with your system, so check if there are any updates to your software. To check available updates for Apple Watch, launch the application on your iPhone. Tap on the My Watch tab at the bottom, select General and tap on Software Update. If you see any updates available, install them. To ensure that you are running on the latest version of macOS, open the Mac App Store. Select the Update tab and check if there any updates available and, if so, install them. Once you have updated your software, reboot the devices, log in for the first time and check if the auto unlock feature works.
Re-pair your Apple Watch
Apple Watch Unlock Mac Mini
Re-pairing an Apple Watch might be a complicated process, but if a problem occurred in the connection between the iPhone and Apple Watch, secure information pertaining to the auto unlock feature will not be transferred correctly. To solve this frustrating issue, first un-pair your devices by launching the Watch application. Tap on the My Watch tab in the bottom of the screen, and then tap on the Apple Watch at the top. Then press the Info button on the right and select Unpair Apple Watch. In addition, you must repeat the pairing procedure and at the end of process, select restoring from your most recent backup file. Once the re-pairing process is complete, enable the Auto Unlock function in Mac preferences. Finally, check if the auto unlock feature works correctly.