Q: Unlock with watch won't work, despite being enabled

hey i'm having no luck with Apple Watch unlocking my iMac, both have up to date OS and I have gone through the standard set up procedure any advice here would be helpful - thanks

Had the same trouble until i rebooted my apple watch, now it works.

These are the messages on console when I tried to unlock with watch. I'm not much good at making sense of the messages - any thoughts?

Looks like it finds it and recognises it but isn't paired with it...the watch is paired with the iPhone

    1 = frankmichell;

    5 = "Unlocking with Apple Watch\U2026";

}

    kCBMsgArgAdvertisementData =     {

        kCBAdvDataAppleMfgData =         {

            kCBScanOptionAppleFilterPuckType = 16;

        };

        kCBAdvDataIsConnectable = 1;

        kCBAdvDataManufacturerData = <4c001002 0180>;

    };

    kCBMsgArgDeviceUUID = "955C3006-AEC4-4182-9911-06E337B85F07";

    kCBMsgArgName = "Frank's Apple\U00a0Watch";

    kCBMsgArgRssi = "-60";

}

device: <SFAutoUnlockDevice: 0x7fa49d39ef90, uniqueID:B24DB95C-97AD-4B63-93FA-2AB13D64DA81, bluetooth ID: 955C3006-AEC4-4182-9911-06E337B85F07, cloud paired: YES, modelIdentifier:Watch1,2, name:Frank's Apple Watch, unlockEnabled:YES>,

peer SFBLEDevice ID 955c3006-aec4-4182-9911-06e337b85f07, AdvData '0180', RSSI -60 [-60, -60, -60], Name '?', Paired no,

unlock enabled: YES,

proxy unlock enabled: NO

    "<SDAutoUnlockBLEFoundDevice: 0x7fa49ae95370, auto unlock device id:B24DB95C-97AD-4B63-93FA-2AB13D64DA81, ble device id:955C3006-AEC4-4182-9911-06E337B85F07, use proxy:NO>"

)

<SFAutoUnlockDevice: 0x7fa49d39ef90, uniqueID:B24DB95C-97AD-4B63-93FA-2AB13D64DA81, bluetooth ID: 955C3006-AEC4-4182-9911-06E337B85F07, cloud paired: YES, modelIdentifier:Watch1,2, name:Frank's Apple Watch, unlockEnabled:YES>

ble device: SFBLEDevice ID 955c3006-aec4-4182-9911-06e337b85f07, AdvData '0180', RSSI -60 [-60, -60, -60], Name '?', Paired no

use proxy: NO

Are you using any other Bluetooth devices? A keyboard, a bluetooth trackpad that could be interfering?

Your paired iPhone may not be able to connect to iCloud. Try to restart the iPhone and then sign into iCloud again with your AppleID.

Thanks Leonie. I have done the sign out/in again/restart thing both on Mac and iPhone. I do have Bluetooth Magic Mouse, keyboard and trackpad connected - maybe they are interfering somehow, but it is really weird that if I disconnect mac from wifi and instead connect to iPhone's hotspot it works - even with those other Bluetooth devices still connected.

This is the issue that I am having, I hope because you posted this you have a solution.

Thanks,

My iMac late 2013 will only unlock with my Apple Watch if I turn off the blue tooth track pad and use the mouse instead. I found no way to keep the iMac and iPhone using the Time Capsule network and unlocking the Mac with iPhone as long as I am using the trackpad.

Thanks Leonie - That was something I hadn't tried. disconnected trackpad - even took out batteries to be sure. Still not working though...

Then I've run out of ideas, sorry.

Having the exact same issues. Have followed all the steps and ensured that I'm on the same wifi network at home. My Mac appears to start unlocking, but then diverts to the password for me to input. Any one had any ideas?

I Had same exact behavior. tried several times and only after i power cycled apple watch it started working just fine.

Ok everyone I think I have to solution here if you are still having issues. All of my settings were correctly set as described in all the above posts. But there was one thing that I noticed and gave it a shot and it now works. My apple watch now unlocks my macbook pro. So, for just $19.99... I'm kidding!! Go to System Preferences/Security & Privacy. Check the box for both "allow apple watch to unlock" AND "Require password" and make sure it is set for IMMEDIATELY. That was my issue. Mine was set for 5 minutes when my watch was not unlocking my mac. Anyway, this should fix you up. It worked for me. Good luck

Try turning bluetooth off on your phone, wait until your watch connects to the wifi (you'll see a cloud icon in the watch's notification center), then turn the phone's bluetooth back on.

When I do that, the watch is then able to unlock my mac for a little while, but it eventually stops again. Meanwhile I have another mac where it works perfectly, every time.

Thank. I tried that already, and it did not change anything.  The weird thing is, that the watch can unlock both my MacBook Pros without trouble, only the iMac (late 2013) not.  It is the only device, that needs a bluetooth trackpad.

Go to System Preferences/Security & Privacy. Check the box for both "allow apple watch to unlock" AND "Require password" and make sure it is set for IMMEDIATELY. That was my issue. Mine was set for 5 minutes when my watch was not unlocking my mac. Anyway, this should fix you up. It worked for me. Good luck