My watch will not unlock my MBP anymore after upgrading to Big Sur. I get an error message saying my Mac cannot communicate with my Apple Watch.
Any suggestions on how to fix this ? I turned WiFi and BlueTooth off/on, rebooted both MBP and Watch. Still no go.
MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
Update to watchOS 7.1, as it has a fix for unlocking Macs
If that does not work, it should, but if it does not work, then read the following threads
Check out this thread on fixing Apple Watch unlocking Mac
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251803595?answerId=253458029022#253458029022
Then follow with this thread
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251826134?answerId=253504359022#253504359022
And
I also found that it took awhile for the iCloud Keychain records to propagate and merge on all the systems. More so when you have multiple devices sharing the keychain (I have 4 Macs, the iPhone, and the Apple Watch). I followed both of the above threads, but it was not reliably working until the next day, when I tried again. And I did have to click the enable check box twice the next day, but then it stuck.
And this thread says they also had to toggle the Apple Watch -> Settings -> Siri -> Listen for "Hey Siri" option off then on
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251803595?answerId=253782332022#253782332022
Hints (you will understand when you read the first and second threads):
Applications -> Utilities -> Keychain Access
Finder -> Go menu -> ~/Library/Sharing/AutoUnlock
System Preferences -> iCloud -> Keychain
Update to watchOS 7.1, as it has a fix for unlocking Macs
If that does not work, it should, but if it does not work, then read the following threads
Check out this thread on fixing Apple Watch unlocking Mac
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251803595?answerId=253458029022#253458029022
Then follow with this thread
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251826134?answerId=253504359022#253504359022
And
I also found that it took awhile for the iCloud Keychain records to propagate and merge on all the systems. More so when you have multiple devices sharing the keychain (I have 4 Macs, the iPhone, and the Apple Watch). I followed both of the above threads, but it was not reliably working until the next day, when I tried again. And I did have to click the enable check box twice the next day, but then it stuck.
And this thread says they also had to toggle the Apple Watch -> Settings -> Siri -> Listen for "Hey Siri" option off then on
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251803595?answerId=253782332022#253782332022
Hints (you will understand when you read the first and second threads):
Applications -> Utilities -> Keychain Access
Finder -> Go menu -> ~/Library/Sharing/AutoUnlock
System Preferences -> iCloud -> Keychain
I was already on watchOS 7.1 so that wasn't it. I did unpair my watch and started from factory default. Paired it again with my phone and that did the trick. Now it unlocks my Mac.
Thanks !!
Big Sur OS does not see my Apple Watch series 6
