FrankO23

Q: Apple Watch unlocking Mac not working

I have a first-generation Apple Watch and a spring 2015 MacBook Pro, on which I've just installed Sierra. When I first tried to enable unlocking the Mac with the Apple Watch it didn't pair after a number of tries, but eventually it accepted it.

 

Now, however, I find that if I leave my MacBook for a few minutes and come back, it will say that the Apple Watch will unlock the Mac, the little waiting wheel goes around and around, but after maybe 8 or 9 seconds it just falls back to the password entry screen. The net result is a significant delay in getting back on the MacBook. After this happened a few times, I disabled unlocking with the Apple Watch in Preferences.

 

Any ideas why this is happening? Normally my iPhone is also nearby, and the watch is paired to it -- does this make any difference?

Posted on Sep 25, 2016 7:01 PM

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Q: Apple Watch unlocking Mac not working

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  • by Darkrain82,Apple recommended

    Darkrain82 Darkrain82 Oct 12, 2016 8:42 AM in response to dgturc83
    Level 1 (11 points)
    Oct 12, 2016 8:42 AM in response to dgturc83

    Clearing out old/no longer used Bluetooth associations has fixed the problem with my watch only unlocking intermittently. Thanks for this!

  • by Daren Pearson,

    Daren Pearson Daren Pearson Oct 13, 2016 1:42 PM in response to FrankO23
    Level 1 (40 points)
    Apple Watch
    Oct 13, 2016 1:42 PM in response to FrankO23

    I'm having this problem too people. This is often after the macbook has been to sleep a few times: the apple watch - 2nd generation - just spins and asks for the password.   I did notice that the start/sleep button doesn't work properly during this period of frustrations as well and i also wonder if this is a software issue.  Re-starting is a temporary fix.

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