Vramin

Q: Unlock OS X Sierra with Apple Watch does not work

I just updated to Sierra on my Retina MacBook Pro. Enabled Apple Watch unlock in System Preferences. Apple Watch has the latest OS on it (Watch OS 3).

 

Now when I open the lid on my MacBook it says "Unlocking with Apple Watch". The spinner goes around a few times, then it goes around a few more times, and then it asks for my password.

 

All I've succeeded in doing is adding ten or fifteen seconds to the login process. A few articles on the web claim to have "the fix" but generally just parrot the setup instructions.

 

Anyone else having any luck unlocking with the watch?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS Sierra (10.12)

Posted on Sep 20, 2016 8:55 PM

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Q: Unlock OS X Sierra with Apple Watch does not work

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  • by Vramin,

    Vramin Vramin Sep 22, 2016 9:20 PM in response to Vramin
    Level 1 (11 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 22, 2016 9:20 PM in response to Vramin

    Now I'm waiting for them to add a setting where the watch doesn't ding every time it unlocks the computer.

     

    Now that it's working it's a very cool feature.

     

    They should add "Restart your Apple Watch" to the directions.

  • by Jamie.Z,

    Jamie.Z Jamie.Z Sep 23, 2016 12:29 AM in response to Ivan Robertovich
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 23, 2016 12:29 AM in response to Ivan Robertovich

    i can't seem to locate this - go to /Library/Preferences (the system library, NOT the user folder).  Trash all bluetooth preferences, old ones and any .lockfile with bluetooth in the name.

  • by Klaus1977,

    Klaus1977 Klaus1977 Sep 23, 2016 1:51 AM in response to Vramin
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 23, 2016 1:51 AM in response to Vramin

    Having the same issue.

    Restarting the watch solved it for one time unlocking.

     

    Then it stopped working again...

    (1gen Apple Watch, MBP latest model)

  • by femitchell,

    femitchell femitchell Sep 23, 2016 3:05 AM in response to IronchefJoBo
    Level 1 (27 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 23, 2016 3:05 AM in response to IronchefJoBo

    I can get it to unlock, like you, using iPhone as hotspot, but when I go back to wifi - still not working...

  • by Vramin,

    Vramin Vramin Sep 23, 2016 5:40 AM in response to Vramin
    Level 1 (11 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 23, 2016 5:40 AM in response to Vramin

    Maybe it's a combination of things. I had deleted the Bluetooth files that Ivan Robertovich had mentioned, but I didn't do all of the computer restarts and such. I never switched to my telephone hot spot, either.

     

    Maybe try deleting the Bluetooth files and then restarting the watch? That's essentially what I did and it has worked consistently ever since.

  • by femitchell,

    femitchell femitchell Sep 24, 2016 4:15 AM in response to Vramin
    Level 1 (27 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 24, 2016 4:15 AM in response to Vramin

    II've done all of those things now, and it will Only work when connected via hotspot. With Bluetooth - nothing.

     

    I Hoped this morning's iOS update might fix it, but no. I give up I think...

  • by dathb,

    dathb dathb Sep 24, 2016 5:44 PM in response to Ivan Robertovich
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 24, 2016 5:44 PM in response to Ivan Robertovich

    This worked, but I definitely had to reset the SMC

  • by jonezy1966,

    jonezy1966 jonezy1966 Sep 26, 2016 1:31 PM in response to ahorstmann
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 26, 2016 1:31 PM in response to ahorstmann

    Worked for me as well. Thanks - why didn't I think of that!

  • by NF,

    NF NF Sep 30, 2016 6:14 AM in response to Vramin
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Sep 30, 2016 6:14 AM in response to Vramin

    Having a similar problem. I tried the hotspot solution proposed below but it didn't work for me. Haven't tried the other more complicated fixes suggested. However Apple ar pushing this as a major feature feature of Sierra and the new Watch. It needs fixed and should 'just work'.

    Many of us choose Apple because we don't want to spend endless hours fiddling around trashing files and constantly rebooting our computers.

  • by boomerschmidt,

    boomerschmidt boomerschmidt Sep 30, 2016 8:21 AM in response to NF
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 30, 2016 8:21 AM in response to NF

    You are spot on. It took me hours to get one computer to work for me. My other nearly identical machine still won't unlock. Im afraid to fight the second computer anymore for concerns about having the working computer then stop working. Plus this two level security is a real pain In how they implemented it.

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