I cannot see "Allow your Apple Watch to Unlock Your Mac"

Followup up to my post, I un-paired and re-paired my apple watch. That finally got the "Allow your Apple Watch to Unlock your Mac" to show in Preferences.

bikeguy-CA wrote:

Followup up to my post, I un-paired and re-paired my apple watch. That finally got the "Allow your Apple Watch to Unlock your Mac" to show in Preferences.

Yes, the Help for System Preferences lists, that the unlock feature will be hidden, if the watch is not paired with its iPhone, even if the computer should support this feature. You can see this, if you type "unlock" into the search field of the System preferences.

I've tried all of the solutions suggested, and I'm still not seeing the option in my System Preferences. I've tried:

1. Restarting my Macbook
2. Restarting my iPhone
3. Restarting my Apple Watch
4. Confirmed that Bluetooth was on on all devices. Also tried turning it off and back on.
5. Confirmed that I'm using 2-factor auth (not 2-step)
6. Unpaired and repaired my Apple Watch
7. Signed out of iCloud on my Mac and iPhone, and signed back in on both devices.

Not sure what's left to try.

What model is your Mac? See: How to check if a Mac Supports Auto Unlock with... | Communities

The most specific list is here:

System requirements for Continuity on Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Watch - Apple Support

The Mac Help points out a way to check this using the System Information:
"System Information can confirm if your Mac supports Auto Unlock. Choose Apple menu > About This Mac, then click System Report. In the sidebar, click Network, click Wi-Fi, then look in the Interfaces section for Auto Unlock."

So, when in doubt, look at the system profile  > About This Mac, System Report and check the Network > Wi-Fi section, if the the installed card type for your network supports the Auto Unlock feature.

I'm using a Gen 1 Apple Watch and MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013). I know that my devices are compatible because I was using the feature fine for a week when Sierra was released. However, it stopped working one day, and the option disappeared. Strangely enough, today I received a desktop notification on my Mac prompting me to turn on the feature. However, when I clicked the link, it brought me to System Preferences and nothing was there.

the option "Allow your Apple Watch to Unlock Your Mac" appeared after I tried the following steps.

1. I logged out of iCloud on the Mac (Settings --> iCloud --> sign out) and

2. signed back in.

3. Then I checked the "Security & Privacy" (general tab) in Settings.

4. The open was there - put a tick.

5. Worked!

Have you tried to unpair and pair the watch again?

The option "Automatic Unlock" can vanish, if the Mac sees the watch as not paired.

Yes, that was #6 in the list of things I've tried.

PlazMAG wrote:

Yes, that was #6 in the list of things I've tried.

Unlocking with the Apple Watch is working reliably for me on my MacBook Pros 2015 models, but on the iMac I keep getting random results. When I turn the iMac on and start working with it, automatic unlock will work for a while, and then suddenly it stops, usually, as soon as I switch from using the mouse to the Bluetooth trackpad.

Make sure two-factor authentication is turned on for your iCloud account.

me too. i done all the things they mention but still can't see "Allow your Apple Watch to Unlock Your Mac"

Can you help me please?

Thanks

Followed all the steps. I've verified that I am indeed using two factor and not two step. Still does not appear. Followed all your suggestions. My laptop is MBP mid-2015. I've rebooted everything. Still does not appear. Logged out of and then back in to iCloud. Still does not appear. It shouldn't be this hard. What else should I do?

I'm having the same issue and just about to throw in the towel

The Help for System Preferences lists, that the unlock feature will be hidden, if the watch is not paired with its iPhone, even if the computer should support this feature.

So check, if your watch is still paired with its iPhone, and also check, if Bluetooth is still enabled on the Mac and the watch, if you no longer see this setting in the System Preferences.

How to check if a Mac Supports Auto Unlock with the Apple Watch

UPDATE. I discovered that there was an uninstalled update for my watch. For some reason, there was no alert for the update that was visible on my watch. I discovered it by accident. Once I completed the watch OS update, the option for my watch to unlock my mac appeared. I checked the box and it has worked perfectly ever since. I had assumed my watch OS was up to date because it wasn't showing the usual indicators to alert me to the new update. Check for OS updates on your watch. If there's an uninstalled update, take care of that and then, see if the unlock your mac option appears.