Mac not unlocking after watchOS 7 update

I can't get my unlock to work at all. The first indication something was amiss was after I updated to iOS 14.1 and AW 7.0.2. I had read that AW 7.0.3 was out, and I wanted to try to update to that, and the iPhone Apple Watch app gave an error when trying to check for an update, couldn't connect, I don't remember the exact language but I've never seen it unable to connect and at least check for a software update. Then, my unlock has failed. I have 3 current macs, 1 iPhone, and 2 Apple watches, and the unlock has failed on all of them. I have tried unpairing, activating the watch as a "new" watch, re-pairing, restarting, the above remedies, deactivating Keychain... no luck.

stoska992 solution worked just fine for me, but I was in trouble a second time after updating to IOS 14.01 and unlocking stopped working and trying to set up got same communication error.

Now confession, I forgot to have phone awake whilst turning on auto unlock.

It really did work for me, fantastic. But with iOS, watchOS and macOS were you using when you get it to work?

Mine was 14.1, 7.0.2 and 10.15.7 respectively.

And I had reset Watch and iPhone in my attempt to sort this issue before. I've contacted Apple Support many times and never ever mentioned looking into the Keychain Access and I tried to use Console but never spot anything related to "AutoLock" issue.

I feel like I wasted a month of my life and I'm really disappointed with Apple.

Follow the guide by stoska992

Emptying your trash bin after you delete those cache, then reboot your computer.

If it does still not work, go to safari > security > and see if your watch vibrates ask for unlocking. If your watch does vibrate, unlock the security, then reboot your computer. It should work by than.

also worked for me! (It had quit working when I got a new phone and re-paired my Apple Watch. Had tried rebooting both watch and mac - nothing worked. This sequence of instructions was the key for me!

This worked the first time for my AW4 with WatchOS 7.0, iOS 14.0 and macOS 10.15.7 last month. Then it stopped working and I tried it again and again through WatchOS 7.0.2, iOS 14.1 and still macOS 10.15.7 with no luck. But I just tried it again and this time with first emptying the Trash and then rebooting my Mac Pro (late 2013) and it WORKED!!! Let's see how long it sticks this time.

Strangely, all this time my AW0 with WatchOS 4.3.2 worked fine to unlock my Mac Pro and both my AW4 and AW0 worked fine to unlock my Mac mini (2014) running the latest beta of macOS 11.0. Weird gremlins....

finally WORKED

tnx

I have just one opt in # 7 - "classC"

7. There should be 4 entries for "tlk" "tlk-nonsync" "classA" "classC"

but after deleted keys and files receive error with keychain and turn oFF in iCloud settings

Then reboot macbook and watch and activate keychain in Settings-iCloud on macbook - and its can work now!

This procedure worked for me, for a day. Then the next day it stopped working. I was checking some other things, I decided to add my iPhone to my Mac under Bluetooth on the Mac. I did that and it recognized the phone, and then all the sudden to watch unlocked started working.

I've got a Series 3 on WatchOS 7.0.3. I tried the method posted by stoska992 (several times, as other posters had recommended, with all the reboots and such), but still didn't work.

I recalled having those pesky rebooting issues when I updated to 7.0.2, where the only way I could get around the issue (before 7.0.3 was released) was to disable Wi-Fi. My thinking was that Apple patched the Wi-Fi driver or something in 7.0.3, but didn't fully fix its issues... so fiddling with the Wi-Fi would be a good place to start.

Oddly, what ended up solving the issue for me was to toggle Wi-Fi Private Address off/on. (On Watch: Settings -> Wi-Fi -> (your Wi-Fi network) -> Private Address) Tried switching it from on->off at first, and auto unlock started working. Switched it back off->on, and it still works!

Hi tim3g,

I also struggled a lot. The thing that worked for me was that I started with the procedure immediately after I needed to authenticate in General, in Security & Privacy, after I checked the "Use your Apple Watch ....". Before that i was deleting regularly the blue icon AutoUnlock Keys that reapear in Keychain Access and the file that shows in the Finder.

After several combinations of the actions i managed to turn it on, and i am happy as a radio now :)

Best regards,

Kesma

This solution worked on one Mac, but now the other won't allow Auto Unlock to take. Does that mean I have to reset it again, and lose the setting on the first Mac? Hmm, I wonder if that means I'll only be able to do Auto Unlock on one Mac.

Apple really shoots themselves in the foot with persistent issues such as this. Upgrading to a new Watch shouldn't break things.

Console Errors popping up:

error	15:02:02.062449 +0100	sharingd	Failed to sign remote key (error = -536870206, output length = 0)
error	15:02:24.132111 +0100	sharingd	Watch missing LTK and is unable to communicate with Companion to potentially sync it
error	15:02:24.132213 +0100	sharingd	Error in session created response: 196

Ok update with more details:

I have two Macs, and both were having this problem with my new (used) Apple Watch 5. Neither had issues with Auto Unlock on my Apple Watch 3. I followed these workaround instructions for my MacBook Pro, and after a few attempts it worked. Can't really say why it took several attempts.

Then I tried my Mac Pro, same procedure about ten times. I avoided deleting the iCloud Auto Unlock keychain entry for my MacBook Pro, since I just created it and didn't want to get into a loop of fixing one while breaking the other. I finally decided to simply turn off the iCloud Keychain in System Preferences > iCloud and delete all the Keychain entries and Sharing preferences, then reboot and turn on the iCloud Keychain again. Then I remembered another thing I tried on the MacBook, making sure the Mac and iPhone were on the same wifi network (I have a 2.5 and a 5ghz on my Airport). Also, I made sure Unlox wasn't running (I use Unlox to enter the system password and as a backup in case Apple Watch unlock fails, and they've always gotten along fine together, but I thought it might be interfering at setup). After this, the Mac Pro setup took... but then the MacBook Pro stopped working!!!

Fortunately, this time the MacBook Pro took only one attempt to get it working again. Now all is good again with both Macs.

Where do I find "Keychain access"? Am I doing this on my MacBook or iPhone or watch? I'd like to try this.

I have reported it in Support and sent logs etc. but haven't heard back. I'm running Big Sur and watch OS7.0.2 with ios14.2

It worked once... Got it working on Apple Watch 4. Then went away for a few hours and came back and it won't work again. Tried procedure again and nothing will let me check the box and always says it cannot communicate with Apple Watch.

Tried this.. I have two computers.. one of them is working now.. and the other still doesn't. Not sure what else to try at this point.. :(

I'm pretty much out of ideas.. this all seemed to work pretty well until the most recent set of iOS and watchOS updates.. :(