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137 points

Wireless connection is too weak to unlock with apple watch

I have a new(ish) MacBookPro 16in M1. I am getting "Wireless connection is too weak to unlock with apple watch" whenever waking it up. Usually it works if I click 'Cancel' and try again (as others have suggested) - but sometimes it needs several attempts. I don't think it's a watch issue as it unlocks my iMac (which is further away) reliably.

Is the connection via wireless LAN or bluetooth? No issues here with either otherwise.

Is this likely to be a hardware issue with the MBP or software?

OS 12.3.1; Apple Watch Series 4 OS8.5.1; iPhone !2 Pro OS 15.4.1

Apple Watch, watchOS 4

Posted on May 9, 2022 12:18 AM

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Chris Bunch Author

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137 points

Posted on May 11, 2022 12:41 AM

Thank you @WinsC1

I had already done everything you suggested (and the watch was unlocking my iMac fine so had to be a issue with my MBP.) The final suggestion in the Unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch article - "In Security & Privacy preferences, deselect ”Use your Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac,” then restart your Mac and turn this setting back on" does seem to have worked. Perhaps advice to restart after selecting that option in Preferences would help others.

Chris

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37 replies

Aug 29, 2022 7:39 AM in response to myles34

I had the problem with my Intel MBP and now with my M1 MBP... so it isn't processor related.

It does seem to happen after the computer has sat for a while and has gone to sleep...

Aug 30, 2022 6:22 AM in response to Chris Bunch

Just for background, many continuity features like airdrop, handoff, and such use both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to implement these small local transfers. Apple has never been clear about which does what.

Sep 13, 2022 3:22 PM in response to Chris Bunch

I too keep having this problem with my MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) and unchecking, rebooting and checking ony works for a couple of weeks before I have to do it again.

Sep 29, 2022 9:12 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

So I upgraded Apple Watch Series 3 to Apple Watch Ultra and seemed to not have an issue yet. It happened every day with my series 3.

myles34

Level 1

15 points

Jul 24, 2022 12:22 AM in response to Chris Bunch

This seems to be a new problem with the new Macs. I had the M1 MacBook Air and never had this problem. Now that I have the M2 MacBook Air I am experiencing this problem and I don't understand why as the Apple Watch is on my wrist near my computer. Apple, can you please fix it? Thank you.

Jul 25, 2022 12:41 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I have the same issues with my apple watch series 6 cellular and my macbook pro 13 M1. The same problem there is with my mac mini m1. “The connection wireless is too leak to unlock with apple watch”. I just try to all solution, logout from icloud all device and login, reset wifi on mac, but the issue hasn’t solved. Please fix it. Is very frustrating

Chris Bunch Author

Level 1

137 points

Aug 18, 2022 6:24 AM in response to Steven Hatfield

> It isn't complaining about your watch having a weak wifi signal, it is complaining about your watch being physically too far from your Mac

What's the difference? Anyway, that's not the case: I'm right by the Mac. It's usually only the first attempt to unlock after a prolonged period. Second and subsequent attempts usually work OK. All othe interactions with the watch work fine, even from a greater distance.

Aug 18, 2022 6:39 AM in response to myles34

I hold watch very closer about mac. At the sams position, need to try again to unlock without change any position, the mac unlock, but at the first time the mac return error to unlock wifi leak. i'n very hungry to this bug, and i'm disappoint that apple don't fix this bug. I am mac user, and all apple user from more years, but this bug that very annoyng drive me to other brand and operation system.

myles34

Level 1

15 points

Aug 29, 2022 1:46 AM in response to Chris Bunch

I am still having the same problem. It seems to happen when I use the MacBook Air M2 for the first time. I have reported this to Apple twice now and they don't seem all that interested in resolving the problem. I miss Apple of old where they would go that extra mile to solve the problem.

Aug 29, 2022 5:49 AM in response to myles34

Yeah, that's probably the biggest change under Tim Cook... Apple is no longer the company that they used to be. They're perfectly happy to release bug ridden software because they have a cult following now that buys whatever they pump out, regardless of the quality.

myles34

Level 1

15 points

Aug 29, 2022 7:37 AM in response to Steven Hatfield

I have a MacBook Air M2 with no monitor or keyboard and I use the mouse with my right hand and the watch is on my left hand so my wrist cannot be far away from the computer. I never had this problem with my M1 MacBook Air or any of the previous MacBooks I had. It is strange because it only now seems to happen the first time I open the lid of the laptop after that it never seems to happen, but is intermittent.

Chris Bunch Author

Level 1

137 points

Aug 29, 2022 11:30 PM in response to Steven Hatfield

This is a strange phenomenon: it is not clear whether it’s a Bluetooth or WiFi issue. Both modalities have to be switched on in the Mac for it to work at all. (They are automatically on in the Watch and it appears they can’t be switched off.) Why are both necessary? No other Bluetooth function on my Mac is similarly blighted. Where does WiFi come in? Do the Mac and the Watch try one modality first, then the other? Could this be a (non-)co-operating sequential process issue? Who knows? Does Apple?

Oct 12, 2022 8:30 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

i'm very hungry about this bug don't fixed by apple. Than more time, hours or days, mac mini m1 or macbook air m1 show this error that the connection wifi is too leak to unlock my mac. Apple is only marketing, or fix the real problem on your features ?!

Is there apple support?! I don't know ...

Oct 12, 2022 8:46 AM in response to davidefrommonza

davidefrommonza wrote:

Is there apple support?! I don't know ...

This is the Apple User-to-User Support Communities. Readers here are other users like you, except for an accasional specialist sent to be sure your original posting does not get completely ignored.

If you would like to discuss your specific situation with Apple Support, start here:

Get Support

If you would like to give Apple feedback, start here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Oct 12, 2022 10:13 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Sorry, but i don’t think that to unlock my mac with apple watch i will restart my apple watch or macbook. This is a very bug never solved from apple. I bought my apple watch and mac for all function without any restart o reset of my device. I send several feedback to apple.

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Wireless connection is too weak to unlock with apple watch