Can Anyone Tell Me Why Apple Watch Unlocks My MacBook Pro M5 Only 80% Of The Time?

[spartan1967]

At first, I thought this was a correctable issue when I activated this feature in Settings. Scoured this website & all others, implementing the steps to correct. Still the same unlock rate = 80% of the time (actual data collected).

There is no pattern, no time of day, or anything else I can give except my % of success rate. Times the watch does not unlock the laptop, I can just sit there until it goes back to sleep, hit the space key on the bluetooth keyboard & it unlocks fine.

FaceID on my iPhone works 100% of the time as does TouchID on the MacBook Pro keyboard. Why doesn't this work all the time at this stage of MacOS 26 refinement & on a current generation laptop? Thanks.

 

[throAU]

80% of the time it works all the time

 

[ProbablyDylan]

You're getting 80%? Works for me maybe once or twice a month

 

[throAU]

A couple of things

• its time sensitive, you need to have unlocked with another method recently while wearing your unlocked watch
• both need to see each other wirelessly

mine mostly works.

 

[spartan1967]

A couple of things

• its time sensitive, you need to have unlocked with another method recently while wearing your unlocked watch
• both need to see each other wirelessly

mine mostly works.

One time it almost never works is the first sign in of the morning. Take my watch off the charger & unlock it, only to be followed by a manual sign in on the MacBook. iPhone, AW10 & MacBook on same network/Wifi.

Edit: I'm wondering if it's like the iPhone where it makes you put in the PIN once in while, even though FaceID is set. Seems a little excessive if it is & it should notify you this is why.

 

[BigBlur]

It works most of the time for me. Does the Mac display any message as to why it couldn't unlock with the Apple Watch? If the wireless connection was too weak, it should say something about that. Since you say it works when you try again, I'm guessing it was a weak connection or that the Mac didn't even register that the watch was nearby.

Edit: I'm wondering if it's like the iPhone where it makes you put in the PIN once in while, even though FaceID is set. Seems a little excessive if it is & it should notify you this is why.

It does do this, but it should only be once every week or so. The Mac will also say something like "Password required to enable Apple Watch to unlock this Mac."

The Apple Watch also won't unlock the Mac if you're using internet sharing or screen sharing (common with DisplayLink adapters).

 

[spartan1967]

It works most of the time for me. Does the Mac display any message as to why it couldn't unlock with the Apple Watch? If the wireless connection was too weak, it should say something about that. Since you say it works when you try again, I'm guessing it was a weak connection or that the Mac didn't even register that the watch was nearby.


It does do this, but it should only be once every week or so. The Mac will also say something like "Password required to enable Apple Watch to unlock this Mac."

The Apple Watch also won't unlock the Mac if you're using internet sharing or screen sharing (common with DisplayLink

I do remember “password required to enable Apple Watch to unlock this Mac.” I am thinking when you say Internet sharing meaning someone is using my phone as a hotspot because I have other family members that use the same SSID Wi-Fi in my house and they have been on their devices when Apple Watch unlocked my Macbook. No shared display.

 

[BigBlur]

Internet sharing would be when you share the Mac's internet connection, basically using the Mac as a hotspot (i.e. sharing the Mac's ethernet connection over Wi-Fi). I don't think you would be using this, but can visit the link at the bottom of this page for more details.

Unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch - Apple Support

While you’re wearing Apple Watch, your Mac can sense when you’re nearby and automatically log you in. You can also use Apple Watch to approve other requests for your administrator password.

support.apple.com