Enabling Apple Watch unlock fails

Question

Level 1

23 points

Enabling Apple Watch unlock fails

I have just updated my series 4 Apple Watch to WatchOS 7. After that it won't unlock my Mac. If I go to my Mac's preferences/security and try to check the box to enable the alert tells me that "your Mac was unable to communicate with your Apple Watch. Make sure your Apple Watch is unlocked and on wrist, and your phone is unlocked.'

My phone is on my first, and both my iPhone and Apple watch are unlocked. I have tried everything I can figure out but no help.

Can anybody help?

Posted on Sep 19, 2020 8:01 PM

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Answer 1

BobHarris

Level 9

56,777 points

Oct 22, 2020 8:01 PM in response to Mariusariel

Check out this thread

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251803595?answerId=253458029022#253458029022

Also make sure Apple Watch -> Settings -> Passcode -> Wrist Detection is enabled.

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Answer 2

ToXXuS

Level 1

16 points

Oct 24, 2020 3:47 PM in response to BobHarris

yes, finally

this works, tnx

BobHarris wrote:

Check out this thread

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251803595?answerId=253458029022#253458029022

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Answer 3

ToXXuS

Level 1

16 points

Oct 22, 2020 4:34 AM in response to thunderous_funker

Update iPhone to iOS 14.1 didn’t fix

also try to turn OFF private address in my WiFi network

so I think last chance is Big Sur?

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Answer 4

ToXXuS

Level 1

16 points

Sep 30, 2020 1:59 PM in response to Mariusariel

Same situation with S5

was ok on 6.x

and after update from 6 to 7

and when I unpair and re-pair again cant use unlocking my Mac

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Answer 5

ToXXuS

Level 1

16 points

Oct 12, 2020 11:04 AM in response to ToXXuS

7.0.2 did't change situation :(

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Answer 6

Oct 15, 2020 9:56 AM in response to Mariusariel

Same issue with new 6 SE. Attempted fixes:

unpaired/paired again
rebooted Mac, phone, watch, etc
signed out of AppleID and back in on Mac
turned on/off all antennas and wifi on phone, Mac, watch

Still no go. Some continuity features work, like Messages on watch showing up on Mac when it is close enough, so there is clearly some level of communication, so the the unlock feature failing to connect to the watch must be a permissions issue that I cannot seem to get past.

I do have separate AppleID for iCloud and iTunes (old account used to purchase music, apps before iCloud) so maybe this is a factor. I am constantly fighting with having 2 separate IDs, but haven't found a way to combine them.

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Enabling Apple Watch unlock fails

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