Your Mac was unable to communicate with your Apple Watch

I don't have FileVault activated, so I don't think that's the key.

Similar situation. It appears for my (late-2013) iMac but it just spins and spins at "Turning on". I have FileVault enabled as well. Tried changing "Require password" to "Immediately" and toggled Handoff but no luck 😐 Not a dealbreaker by any means, but it sure looked cool in the demo!

I tried it and didn't work. Do you have Handoff enabled in the watch app? I keep seeing "Unlocking with Apple Watch..." but it always fails. I have a late 2013 iMac, iPhone 5s and 1st gen Apple Watch. All have up to date software.

I'm having the same issue; followed the instructions to the letter as well. Late MacPro 2013 with all software current and up to date.

OK, apparently after logging into this thread and entering my 2-factor authentication PIN, and then going back to settings and clicking the checkbox to activate, lo and behold it took and is working...

I have spent hours & hours trying to get my 1st generation Apple Watch to unlock my iMac late 2014. I did everything apple said and everything everybody suggested, with no joy. Then I received a call on my iPhone and I noticed that my iMac did not ring at the same like it normal does. So I went into faceTime preferences and signed out then back in again. (I remembered I had this problem before and this how I got the iMac to ring again with my mobile number, set calls from iPhone ticked on) I also signed in & out of Messages on the iMac. I then called my Iphone to make sure the iMac rang at the same time which it did. Then I went back to security & privacy general and ticked Allow your Apple Watch to unlock you Mac & bugger me it worked. I hope it works for you, good luck. WolF

To support this thread and for those following it, please see this Community Link: Unlocking Mac Pro with Apple Watch

By going to the Apple Watch app on your phone and ensuring that you're signed in with your Apple ID AND then restarting the Apple Watch, this action also appears to be a viable solution...

Signing in and out of FaceTime and Messages worked for me; the handoff trick didn't.

Thanks!!

This did the trick for me. I was having trouble doing this for both my imac and my macbook pro. I had to toggle handoff off then on for both and it did the trick.

Still not working after trying all the things included in the original support article, and also above in this thread (including signing out and back in again in FaceTime and Messages, turning Handoff off and back on, logging on this thread with the two-factor authentication, and making sure FileVault is disabled. 😟

I had the exact same issue with my mid-2014 MacBook Pro 13", 1st gen Apple Watch, iPhone 7+ and I just fixed it after reading all the replies here. I followed the setup exactly the way they said it and yet the issue was still present. What I did to fix it was toggled handoff on my Mac on and off, issue persists. Signed out and back in of FaceTime on my Mac, issue persists. Signed out and back in of FaceTime on my iPhone, issue resolved.

this worked for me also!

Worked for me. Thanks

Hi Sorry to hear you are still having problems unlocking your mac with your apple watch. I know you said you have tried all recommendations I did the same until I signed in & out of FaceTime. But I forgot to mention that whilst I was doing everything that was recommended, I missed turning on & off the handoff on the Apple watch app on my IPhone its in My Watch app, General, Enable Handoff. Its just a hunch as I read somewhere before in a thread that the My watch app does not have a handoff setting, so I did not bother to check. it does have the setting. good luck. WolF

Mine starting working after I set FaceTime on my iPhone to use my Apple ID:

Settings -> Facetime / Apple ID:

- If your apple ID is not currently showing, click the text and enter your appleid and password at the propt.

After doing this, my Mac could finally communicate with my watch.