Level 1

40 points

Can't unlock macOS High Sierra with Apple Watch Series 3

Hi, I understand that the Apple Watch Series 3 has a new W2 wireless chip in that isn't (yet) supported with macOS Sierra. However, macOS High Sierra is supposed to be compatible with it but it won't let me turn it on. This was all working fine with my original (Series 0) Apple Watch on both Sierra and now on High Sierra. The error message that I get is this generic one:

Your Mac was unable to communicate with your Apple Watch.

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

I've tried to turn the feature on at least 10 times hoping that at some point it would work, but to no avail. I have tried rebooting the watch and rebooting the Mac. I have since turned off my Series 0 watch from being able to unlock it. I have two-factor authentication turned on (required, obviously). I can't think of anything else to try.

None of the other threads out there are helpful because they are all talking about getting older versions of the watch and/or Mac to work.

Apple Watch Series 3, watchOS 4

Posted on Sep 27, 2017 3:38 PM

Top-ranking reply

XianNewman

Level 1

19 points

Posted on Oct 5, 2017 10:08 AM

I tried everything.

Changing Mac password

Disabling/enabing Handoff

Unpair/repair Watch

etc.

None of these helped because my Mac was looking for some outdated token on my Watch.

Finally reached out to Apple support. This worked:

1. System Preferences > iCloud > turn off Keychain

2. Keychain Access > Preferences > Reset My Default Keychains

3. Reboot Mac

4. You'll be asked to enter your iCloud password - enter it, then give iCloud time to sync up.

5. System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Click the lock to make changes (ensure it's UNLOCKED - if it already is, skip this step)

6. Check Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac

Because I never signed out of iCloud, and deleted my iCloud data, my Mac didn't have to redownload anything. Instead, it did a quick sync-up.= after I entered my iCloud password.

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40 replies

harleytimn Author

Level 1

40 points

Sep 27, 2017 4:14 PM in response to leroydouglas

These certainly are good guides, but I already can unlock my Mac with my Series 0 right now... so I certainly have everything configured properly. This has to be some bug in High Sierra and/or Apple Watch 3.

WolF22

Level 1

14 points

Oct 10, 2017 5:32 PM in response to Photonixx

Sorry my workaround didn't work for you. Sometimes its just best to take a break and then start from the beginning following Apple recommendations first then trying the most recommended community workaround that worked. Good luck WolF.

Oct 10, 2017 6:19 PM in response to WolF22

No problem... appreciate your posting of the workaround, was clearly laid out. (also, appreciate the animal user name, we have a calif. fish and wildlife permit for african spotted cats... no wolves except for fursuiter friends)

robipow

Level 1

4 points

Dec 7, 2017 10:50 AM in response to robipow

It turns out, I just lost the passwords temporarily. They were saved in iCloud and thus were immediately available on my iPhone and iPad and eventually available (the next day after everything synced back up) in Safari on my MacBook.

Oct 5, 2017 11:22 AM in response to XianNewman

Thanks it worked !!!

mdmues

Level 1

9 points

Oct 7, 2017 9:38 PM in response to XianNewman

Thank you, this worked!

Oct 10, 2017 3:29 PM in response to XianNewman

Tried this, didn't work 😟

Belya.Dj

Level 1

4 points

Oct 11, 2017 1:13 AM in response to XianNewman

Thanks a lot, your solution fixed issue with login.

Oct 12, 2017 6:21 AM in response to harleytimn

I am having the EXACT same issue

Razib

Level 1

8 points

Oct 14, 2017 10:21 AM in response to XianNewman

Thanks for help. I was tried last 2 months. Finally I got it. Thanks again.

Takmil

Level 1

4 points

Oct 16, 2017 3:00 AM in response to XianNewman

It worked at first attempt.....🙂

Oct 25, 2017 7:48 AM in response to XianNewman

Thanks so much! It worked!!

Oct 27, 2017 10:17 PM in response to XianNewman

Thanks. This worked for me!

Oct 28, 2017 7:03 PM in response to XianNewman

Tried that. Still no joy.

Oct 29, 2017 9:33 AM in response to XianNewman

That did it for me! Thank you!

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Can't unlock macOS High Sierra with Apple Watch Series 3