Watch HomeKey stopped working with Schlage Encode Plus

I have tried all the listed "fixes" (not in any order)(I do not have a HomeHub. I am purely using bluetooth for now)

1- deleting/adding home kit on iPhone 13 Pro Max

2- toggle on/off background refresh on iPhone and Apple Watch Ultra 2

3- adding Schlage Encode Plus hardware using the picture on the back of the user manual (QR code under the battery cover does not work)

4- adding Schlage Encode Plus hardware by tapping top of iPhone to Schlage Encode Plus without the battery cover on

5- new batteries

6- restarting iPhone

7- restarting Apple Watch Ultra 2

8- adding Schlage Encode Plus using the Schlage App, then setting it up through Home Kit within the Schlage App

9- holding Apple Watch within 2 cm of Schlage Encode Plus for 30 seconds (multiple opening cycles)

10- adding Schlage Encode Plus using the HomeKit App only

11- making sure iPhone and Apple Watch are both up to date

All of the above "solutions"did not work. Apple Watch says either "try again" or "done", Schalage Encode Plus *beeps* and then nothing happens. All the while, tapping the top of my iPhone against the battery cover would instantaneously unlock the Schlage Encode Plus hardware

I was ready to give up having gone down the rabbit hole for more than a week. Today, I decided to check on the Apple Watch to see if there was an update ready to be installed.

THERE WAS AN UPDATE!!!!

It took 10 mins to download and install (I initiated the download on my iPhone). I didn't have much hope but after the update, I decided to tap my Apple Watch on the battery cover of the Schlage Encode Plus and...

IT FINALLY UNLOCKED.

Goodluck brothers/sisters...godspeed

Extra Points: My Apple Watch never unlocked my MacBook Air 2022 M2. I would always have to use the Touch ID on the laptop. Today, whenever the Mac Air needed authentication, my Apple Watch notified me to press the button below the crown. HOW COOL IS THAT?

I had this same exact issue. I wasn’t able to set up the Schlage on my phone, but my fiance was (not sure why it worked for one and not the other, we have the same phones). After he set it up, he added me to the home, and I could enter using my passcode, but neither my iPhone nor my Apple Watch worked, even though it said “Done”. Tried restarting both, and both were up to date. The only way we got it to work was when he removed me from the home (my Apple home key was removed from my wallet), then added me again. Now it works seamlessly!

I think this is related to an Apple Watch update. My watch randomly stopped auto unlocking my door. I finally looked into it today - first on my phone where the “express mode” was turned on as expected on the HomeKit wallet “card”. I then checked that setting on my watch ( through the app on my phone) and it was OFF for my HomeKit wallet card there! I think if people just fix this setting, they won’t need to delete/remove users and reset it all up again. ( but that probably works as it may end up turning that setting on)

and yes - I hate when developers change settings during updates/upgrades without telling you that they may have turned off functionality that you were using!

I was able to fix this for myself!

Background: Last week I replaced my old Series 6 with a new Ultra2 watch. Upgrade went smoothly, except that I couldn't unlock my lock. I would just see feel the tap, see 'Done' on the screen, the LED on the lock would blink, and then nothing would happen. (My phone and my wife's watch could still unlock just fine.)

I tried a few things unsuccessfully:

• Tap on the QR code (that didn't do anything)
• Unpair and re-pair watch

Then I started digging through the Home settings for the lock. At that point I realized I couldn't actually change them! Somehow—either during an iOS upgrade or the Watch upgrade—I'd lost admin access on my Home. I'm 100% sure I had this before because I was the one who set it up!

Solution: I got my wife to re-add me as a Home admin via her iPhone. Once I did this I was able to unlock the door with my watch again.

I'm not going to pretend this makes a ton of sense, but who knows!?

Schlage Encode Plus

Apple Watch Ultra2 11.0.1 (22R361)

iPhone 15 Pro 18.0.1

Other note: my Schlage is talking to my AppleTV with Thread. I'm only using Home, no Schlage app installed.

I had this problem too and "solved" it by buying an Apple TV, unenrolling the lock, physically moving the Apple TV close to the lock (6 feet), re-enrolling the lock via Home (I didn't try doing it via the Schlage app so it's possible that would have worked). Once I did that, then both my phone and watch worked, and continue to work even with the Apple TV back in its normal spot 50+ feet away from the lock (out of BLE range presumably). I had to bring the Apple TV close to the lock to enroll my wife's phone, but again that continues to work even with the Apple TV away from the lock.

SOLVED for Apple Watch but not iPhone:

All, I experienced the same issue, but in my case, neither the Watch nor the iPhone was able to unlock the Schlage door lock anymore. Initially I thought it was an iOS issue, so I rebooted both the iPhone and Watch but that did not resolve the issue.

I figured the issue might be either with the lock itself or the iOS/WatchOS latest updates. However, in reading your posts I realized that people have been having this issue with various iOS and WatchOS versions, ones that I did not have the issue with. This told me the issue lies with the Schlage lock and its mechanism itself.

The issue was not a lock battery because the battery is still at 57% so, I removed the lock cover, reseated the batteries, but that did not resolve the issue.

RESOLUTION

When you remove the Lock cover, you will also expose the QR code that you used originally to add the lock to Apple HomeKit. Right there, I tapped my watch to that mechanism, where the QR code sticker is (where my thumb in the attached picture).

Once I did that, I heard a beeping sound, I did it again just in case, then I was able to unlock the door with my watch, but not the phone. I repeated the steps to tapping the area where my thumb is, but this time with my phone, but the phone is still unable to unlock.

There is a little button (to the top right of my thumb), I pressed that and repeated the tapping steps, but still the phone is unable to unlock the door. AT LEAST, the watch is now working and able to unlock the door. I'm sure it we tinker with it some more, we will figure out the magic to make it work again.

If anyone use this information and then figures out a resolution for unlocking with the iPhone, please post. I'm happy right now that:

1. We know the issue is with the lock and not iOS
2. Able to unlock with Apple Watch.

It was broken for me, but now I have it working again. Please try these three steps:

1) Ensure latest firmware on the lock

2) Restart apple watch

3) power cycle lock (take the battery pack out and put back).

Good luck.

YES It is with EXTREME JOY AND DELIGHT that my watch (ultra 9) now works after this upgrade (OS11) ! (iphone 13 which always worked and still does!) Having spent hours with Apple and Schlage support and trying everything with no luck I believe Apple finally addressed the problem and put in the fix!! I AM THRILLED!!! THANK YOU APPLE!!! Did I mention I was THRILLED!!!! Agree it seemed like a MIRACLE!!!

I had the problem where, after updating iOS on my phone, the phone would no longer unlock my Schlage Encode Plus locks when tapping my phone on the lock, but my watch still worked fine. I resolved this by going to the lock in Apple Home and changing my personal access code and then changing it back.

Since my original post into this thread exactly 90 days ago, I've kept an eye on all the responses and possible solutions. I've received a couple updates on my WatchOS - no joy. I've uninstalled/reinstalled from scratch several times - nothing. I've checked wallet settings on both my watch and phone - no changes. I remain stuck with a Schlage Encode Plus lock that used to work perfectly with both my iPhone and Watch, but no longer responds to my watch. Same behavior - light on lock flashes indicating watch is detected, watch dings, watch displays a "Done" button, but the lock does not unlock.

The fact that it works perfectly with the phone leaves with me no conclusion other than the issue is on the Apple side, not the Schlage side. My wallet card for the lock on the phone unlocks the lock - the one in the watch does not. And none of the solutions proposed in this thread (thanks for all those, by the way) solve this problem for me.

Sigh...

Watch 7 and 9, both would not unlock with Apple Home for my new Schlage Encode+ lock. My iPhone 15 Pro (and 16 Pro) have always worked by tapping.

After I updated to Watch OS 11, I happened to tap yesterday just to try and miraculously, it worked!

So whomever at Apple got this sorted out- mahalo.

I'm curious if anyone has solved this issue. I had Homekit/Homekey working just fine with my Schlage Encode Plus lock at my second home when I left it about 30 days ago. I've just returned and my watch no longer unlocks the lock, whereas the phone still does. And I know my watch OS has updated at least twice during this time - I'm currently on Watch OS 10.5. Nothing else has changed. I tried all the troubleshooting steps @Joe_k described in his original post above and have re-started my watch & phone multiple times in multiple sequences.

Stuff like this should not break with an OS update.

For me, the watch unlock works even on watch os 10.4 but when I upgraded the HomeKit today, it stopped working. Just like you, it showed "Done" but nothing happens and I can still unlock with my iPhone by holding up to it. I have already reset the lock and readied it to both Schlage app and Home app but still not working. Did you get it to work?