I have used my Apple Watch 4 to unlock my iMac. It frequently requires two tries, but it unlocks the Mac.
Suddenly, the Watch will not unlock my iMac. I have tried the usual fixes: Turning off the option in the Mac, rebooting, then turning back on the unlock with Watch option, and shutting down and restarting the Watch. No luck.
Any help would be appreciated.
iMac 27″ 5K, macOS 10.14
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
Thanks. It seemed to work with watchOS7.0. I think it was the upgrade to watchOS 7.1 that broke my watch unlocking the iMac, which is what I am running now. That figures.
No luck on the first thread fixing it.
Am trying the second part - which requires a restart.
No luck so far. It was interesting after the reboot that the option in System Preferences/Security & Privacy for unlocking with the Watch disappeared. After about 30 seconds, it reappeared.
I will wait for the 24 hours and try again.
Thanks for your suggestions.
OK, what you need to do is upgrade to OS 11.1 on your Mac and watchOS 7.2
I did this, made sure that I had the unlock with Apple Watch setting enabled under the Security & Privacy tab, restarted, put iMac to sleep, hit the return key on the iMac keyboard and hey presto!
That worked and iMac unlocked with Apple Watch.
18 hours later and still, the iMac does not see the AppleWatch on sign in.
😢😡
I tried everything a second time, without luck.
😫
Nope, sorry, none of that works. Also updated iMac to OS 11.1.
About to update to watchOS 7.2. Maybe that will fix it?
Apple Watch No Longer Unlocks Mac
