Unable to unlock MacBook Pro with Apple watch

Verified everything in Joseph's answer, but still no joy getting things set up. Hardware is:

a brand-new 15" MBP with macOS 10.12.3, set up via migration tool from a mid-2012 non-retina MBP with the same OS.

an iPhone 5S with iOS 10.2.1

series 2 Apple Watch with watchOS 3.1.3

I was not prompted to enter my iCloud password after restarting the watch.

The message I get (very quickly) when trying to activate the watch unlock is:

"Your Mac was unable to communicate with your Apple Watch.

Make sure your Apple Watch is unlocked and on wrist, and your iPhone is unlocked."

Related to other suggestions I've seen: I've tried turning hand-off off and back on again on all 3 devices.

This has been a very frustrating exercise. I have a similar problem although for several weeks, I was able to use my Apple Watch to successful unlock my 2015 MacBook Air without issue. Then, for no apparent reason, it stopped working, and I have not been successful in fixing it.

One symptom is that my Apple Watch will _say_ it has unlocked my computer, but on my computer, it does not actually unlock at all. I am forced to put in a password. I haven't seen others report this particular aspect in previous posts.

I have tried numerous solutions, numerous times, including all of the ones that have been mentioned in this thread, without success.

Steve

hello. I am trying two days now to connect my Apple Watch 2 with my MacBook Pro retina 2015 and nothing works out for me. I ve tried all the above but still getting the message that my Mac was unable to communicate with the watch. any help please?

I have same situation too. I read someone said you have to turn on your apple watch (raise your arm) and it worked after I tried it. Once I did not raise my arm and make apple watch turn the macbooks pro will ask me to input the password again..

What worked for me: Log out of iCloud on your MacBook Pro and log back in.

I had recently got 2017 Apple Watch 3 (cellular connection) and also recently changed Apple ID and password. Had 2FA and so forth. I think my problem was entering new Apple ID everywhere in the Apple eco system.

I too am unable to unlock my MacBook Pro with my Apple Watch. However I can see the “Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac.” check box. I have it checked off but I still cannot unlock my Mac with my Apple Watch.

mine too I don't see the in System Preferences ->Security & Privacy -> “Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac.”

I went to the search bar in System Preferences and it found the check box for me. After clicking the check box it prompted me for my password and seemed as though it was enabled. When I went to test it out on the login screen i got a spinning wheel saying "Unlocking with Apple Watch". After about 10 seconds the message went away and asked for my login password to get back in. Not sure if it just timed out but it looked like it was working. My first gen Apple Watch is on WatchOS 3.0, and my iPhone 6 is on iOS 10.0.1. I've tried powering off and turning back on again, I've tried re-enabling the setting, nothing seems to be working.

I have exactly the same issue, hardware, software and response when enabling the option.

Same problem. MBP 13, Mid 2012, Apple watch (original) WatchOS3

Help file says command will not show up if the watch is not paired. But the watch is paired with my phone. Is there something else today.

Same here, message on search box when i type 'watch' says ' Allow apple watch to unlock the computer setting. Setting hidden if watch not paired'

Mine is paired to my iPhone without any problems.

Apple Watch to unlock requires Mid 2013 or newer Mac. Will not work on Mid 2012 without an updated Wi-Fi card.

Thanks, that explains it.

There are probably several issues involved. Here are some troubleshooting steps that should help:

1. Make sure you have compatible hardware (2013 and newer - the key is that it have Bluetooth 4.0 / Low Energy, you can see that under the Apple Menu --> About this Mac --> System Report --> bluetooth)
2. Make sure you've updated to macOS Sierra, iOS 10, and watchOS 3. You need all three.
3. Bluetooth needs to be turned on, everywhere.
4. If you have "Little Snitch" installed, you may need to turn that off or configure it to allow more communication. If you don't know what "Little Snitch" is, don't worry about it.
5. You need "two factor" authentication turned on for your iCloud account.
   1. if you have "two step" authentication, that's not the same thing. It's very similar, but not the same (the new "factor" system is better, and more secure). Turn "two step" off by going to https://appleid.apple.com
   2. To turn "two factor" on, go to your "Settings" app on your iPhone, or your Mac's "System Preferences". Click iCloud, then "account details" (that's your name on the iphone) --> Security and turn on "two factor" authentication.
6. At this point, you'll probably notice that the option to use your watch actually disappears from your Mac's system preferences. Don't Panic! It's temporary, and it will probably clear up on it's own after a while. If you don't want to wait, continue…
7. Make sure that all three devices (Mac, phone, and watch) are fully connected through the new "two factor" process (the one you started with will be, but the other two might not)
   1. On your Mac, go to system preferences --> iCloud --> "account details". If asked, log in with your password followed by the 6-digit code, and maybe your Mac login password (if asked).
   2. On your phone, go to Settings --> iCloud --> (your name & icloud account). Again, if asked log in with your password followed by the 6-digit code, and maybe your iPhone unlock code (if asked).
   3. The tricky part - reboot your watch. Hold the side button until you see the "power off" slider. When you turn your watch back on, it will tell you that you need to enter your iCloud password on your phone. And your phone will repeat that - it makes no difference that you did this correctly on your phone before, now you're doing it again for your watch.
8. Finally! Go back to your Mac system preferences --> security and turn on the option to use your watch to unlock the mac (it may take a minute or two to show, again Don't Panic!)

This is certain to help a lot of others. Thank you, Joseph.