How to unlock your Mac using Apple Watch
This article is about how to unlock your Mac using Apple Watch. You probably bought your Apple Watch for its fitness trackers or to easily use Apple Pay. But his work is increasing every year. For example, you can use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac. The “Auto Unlock” feature allows you to connect your Apple Watch and Mac to the same iCloud account, so you can unlock your Mac just by sitting in front of it with the watch on your wrist.
You can unlock your Mac with a paired Apple Watch using a feature called “Auto Unlock”.
To set up the feature, you need an Apple Watch and a compatible Mac signed into the same iCloud account.
You can enable the feature in your Mac’s Security and Privacy menu.
How to unlock your Mac using Apple Watch
Here’s how to make sure you have the right app to use with Auto Unlock and how to set it up.
What you need to enable automatic unlocking
Before you can use Auto Unlock, you need to make sure your Watch and Mac are compatible and updated.
Make sure your device meets the following requirements:
- Your Apple Watch needs to be running watchOS 3 or later. Your Mac is running macOS Sierra or later; or if you have an Apple Watch Series 3 or later, macOS High Sierra or later
- They are stored in the same iCloud account
- Both have a fixed password
- You will need to enable two-factor authentication on your iCloud account.
Quick: If your watch is running watchOS 6 or later and your Mac has macOS Catalina or later, you can also use Apple Watch whenever prompted for a password. Your Mac’s administrator password.
How to unlock your Mac using Apple Watch
Once you know you have two compatible devices, enabling automatic unlocking is a painless process.
- Log in to your Mac and open the System Preferences menu. You can do this by clicking on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your screen and selecting System Preferences. It can be installed on your dock (its icon looks like a gray app).
- Open Security & Privacy and click the General tab at the top of the window.
- From the iPhone and your phone focus on your hands, watch the box that is called the Apple looking for app to Mac. When you are called upon, enter your Mac password. The Mac’s Security and Privacy menu, along with the General tab, is defined, along with the ability to unlock your Mac with Apple Watch. A window asking for the Mac user’s password is also opened.
- You’ll be able to unlock your Mac without entering its password, just by wearing your Apple Watch when you wake it up.
Quick tip: The first time you sign in after shutting down, restarting, or logging out of your Mac, you’ll still have to enter your password manually.