Apple Watch cannot choose to Unlock iPhone

Hard reset both devices.

M1 Mac mini, macOS 11.5.1; Watch, series 5 GPS/cellular, watchOS 7.6.1; iPad Pro 2nd Gen, iPadOS 14.7.1; iPad Air 2, iPadOS 14.7.1; iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 14.7.1; TV 4th Gen, tvOS 14.7  HomePods, audioOS 14.7 and Airport Express w/ Airplay 2

I had the same issue on my new iPhone Pro Max 13 (iOS 15) and Apple Watch 6 (OS 8). Tried all the tricks I could find on the google machine - hard resets, turn off unlock iPhone in watch app, erase and set up watch again, etc). What finally worked for me was erasing and setting up my new iPhone again. One difference between the two iPhone set ups was for the first one I chose not to continue using the iOS beta program I am on. In the second set up I choose to continue - so the configuration matched the one on my old iPhone. It worked. Not sure if the difference was continuing the beta program or if simply setting up my iPhone again. If you’re not in the beta program, maybe erasing and setting up both devices again will suffice. It is a tedious method of last resort but I couldn’t think of anything else to do.

I hope this helps someone with this same issue b

I have this too and with my iPhone 13 and Apple Watch 5. Apple advised for me to reset my watch which I think is shocking. Worked perfectly on my iPhone 11. Clearly an issue with the latest iOS. Severely disappointed in the support provided by apple. Especially given from reading here that other users with the same issue have reset their watch and phone which had no effect.

With the pandemic wearing a mask is still very much required so this feature has been a game changer.

Poor show Apple.

What happened during their testing and QA?

Please can a fix be deployed ASAP!

I have an iPhone 12 Pro and an Watch 5, they are updated to iOS 15 and watchOS 8. This function works for me most of the time.

Beta testing is done with the current devices, so it likely wasn't done with an iPhone 13 that no one had other than perhaps on a small scale with Apple employees and early iPhone 13 prototypes.

M1 Mac mini, macOS 12; Watch, series 5 GPS/cellular, watchOS 8; iPad Pro 2nd Gen, iPadOS 15; iPad Air 2, iPadOS 15; iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 15; TV 4th Gen, tvOS 15  HomePods, audioOS 15 and Airport Express w/ Airplay 2

I would hope that the testing by such a large company as Apple is not on a small scale and they should be testing existing functionality along with the new content.

I have seen others list that resetting the watch does not resolve the issue and to me is not an acceptable ‘workaround’.

Apple needs to get a fix out asap.

Sorry I appreciate your response. Just disappointed in Apple as have relied on this functionality since it was introduced.

I’m so glad it wasn’t just me. Was about yo do a restore which is a nightmare. Thanks for posting this. I have iPhone 13 pro

I reset both my new iPhone 13 Pro and my Apple Watch 5. That did not resolve the issue.

So I unpaired the watch and restored it from backup. That also did not resolve the issue.

I too did a hard reset of both devices and can not get it to work.

I see up my watch as new as well as my previous restore, no luck.

I don't want to set up my phone again to fix this. Shouldn't be this hard.

Widespread issue. Hope Apple fixes it soon. Search on Reddit for Apple Watch.

Apple is asking me to do a restore from backup on iPhone 13. But that’s a long process with adding Apple Pay cards back on and could glitch out the watch. Anyone know if this fixed the issue for you?

Talked to tier 2 advisors. Doing an erase content and settings, restore from back up. Does fix the issue.

Talked to a tier 2 advisor and doing an erase content and settings, restore from backup did fix it.

This will not fix an iPhone 13 Pro with iOS 15. Apple is aware of it and is working on a fix.

The watch or the phone?