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iPhone Not Unlocking Apple Watch

macrlz9

macrlz9

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
This old MacRumors article sums up the issue.

www.macrumors.com

iPhone Not Unlocking Your Apple Watch? Here's How to Fix the Problem

On Apple Watch, there's an option in watchOS that lets your iPhone unlock your watch as long as the iPhone is unlocked (Settings -> Passcode -> Unlock With iPhone). Enabling this option means you don't have to input a passcode twice in the morning – one on your Apple Watch when you put it on...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com

When I try to enable "Unlock with iPhone" using the Watch app, it asks me to enter my passcode on my watch, it accepts it, then the switch turns right off. In the Setting app on watch, the option is greyed out.

Only troubleshooting I've done is reboot both devices. Unpair / re-pair would be next.
 

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macrlz9 said:
This old MacRumors article sums up the issue.

www.macrumors.com

iPhone Not Unlocking Your Apple Watch? Here's How to Fix the Problem

On Apple Watch, there's an option in watchOS that lets your iPhone unlock your watch as long as the iPhone is unlocked (Settings -> Passcode -> Unlock With iPhone). Enabling this option means you don't have to input a passcode twice in the morning – one on your Apple Watch when you put it on...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com

When I try to enable "Unlock with iPhone" using the Watch app, it asks me to enter my passcode on my watch, it accepts it, then the switch turns right off. In the Setting app on watch, the option is greyed out.

Only troubleshooting I've done is reboot both devices. Unpair / re-pair would be next.
Click to expand...
watch and phone model and OS versions?
 
macrlz9 said:
Sorry.

iPhone 15 Pro - 17.4.1
Watch Series 9 - 10.4
Click to expand...
has it worked in the past?
if reboot both does not fix it, then a un-pair/re-pair should be done, and I strongly suggest to set it up as a new device, not a restore
 
jz0309 said:
has it worked in the past?
if reboot both does not fix it, then a un-pair/re-pair should be done, and I strongly suggest to set it up as a new device, not a restore
Click to expand...
Yeah it’s been working, I use the feature often. I assume it stopped with the latest update. Thank you
 
macrlz9 said:
Yeah it’s been working, I use the feature often. I assume it stopped with the latest update. Thank you
Click to expand...
I'm pretty much up-to-date when it comes to OS updates and never experienced this ... the only time I enter the passcode on my watch is when I do an OS update, with phone otherwise

did you turn it off at some point?
 
jz0309 said:
I'm pretty much up-to-date when it comes to OS updates and never experienced this ... the only time I enter the passcode on my watch is when I do an OS update, with phone otherwise

did you turn it off at some point?
Click to expand...
Same here. I always update to the latest OS. I certainly did not intentionally disable the feature. I suppose it’s possible I did it mistakenly. I’ll probably wait for another update and then unpair if it doesn’t resolve the issue.
 
macrlz9 said:
Same here. I always update to the latest OS. I certainly did not intentionally disable the feature. I suppose it’s possible I did it mistakenly. I’ll probably wait for another update and then unpair if it doesn’t resolve the issue.
Click to expand...
Have you tried resetting the passcode on the watch?
 
You can try unpairing and re-pairing them which could potentially resolve the problem.

Make sure to back up the Apple Watch data it might be modified/deleted in the process
 
I have the same issue… Any fix that works? Thanks.

15 pro 17.4.1
s9 10.4, recently restored due to dramatic battery drain… and now this!
 
Last edited:
iMacDragon said:
If you use apple pay it's a requirement to be turned on
Click to expand...
I use Apple Pay all the time but just take out my phone to do it! I guess I wear my watch a little loose and it would never hold a "lock" so it became a pain the butt and I quit using it. Not a problem! I am not making a purchase so often that it is "tiring" to pull my phone out . . . once or twice a day, that's it.
 
Last edited:
xdreus said:
I have tried unpairing and… nothing. Doesn’t work.
Click to expand...
🙁 next step would probably be unpair and setup as new without restoring from a watch backup.
For me since it’s not a huge show stopping bug I'm just going to wait.
 
Update. Still not working after today’s updates. Too much going on at the moment to deal with a restore.
 
this is happening for me as well.

it started after i did a restore and set up as new with both my iphone and apple watch, so there's zero legacy cruft on either device.

ironically i did this because i was getting so fed up with how many bugs were cropping up on my devices, and the internet tells you to do a restore for literally every problem. not only did fresh installs not fix ANY of my existing bugs, now i have this one on top of everything else.
 
iOS 17.6 & watchOS 10.6 did not resolve this issue. Maybe with iOS 18 & watchOS 11?
 
macrlz9 said:
iOS 17.6 & watchOS 10.6 did not resolve this issue. Maybe with iOS 18 & watchOS 11?
Click to expand...
well, I'm not sure what the cause is in the first place but you've applied 2 updates already and no fix.
Time to un-pair/re-pair imho. And I strongly suggest to set up as new and not restore from backup
 
jz0309 said:
well, I'm not sure what the cause is in the first place but you've applied 2 updates already and no fix.
Time to un-pair/re-pair imho. And I strongly suggest to set up as new and not restore from backup
Click to expand...
Totally Agree. I’m just updating the thread with my experience for others.
If it was more of a nuisance or if new hardware wasn’t right around the corner, I would be restoring. When the new phone/watch comes out, I plan to restore from backup but if that doesn’t work, setup as new will be the next step.

Also @stevemiller mentioned setup as new did not resolve for him. So who knows!
 
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