Is it possible to unlock an AW without the passcode?

[hgfjhbvytjdnb]

As in the subject. I had an interesting situation with my AW, I'd put it back on the wrist and started typing the password, it unlocked itself after first character... That's not ideal, is it?

 

[Bigwaff]

As in the subject. I had an interesting situation with my AW, I'd put it back on the wrist and started typing the password, it unlocked itself after first character... That's not ideal, is it?

Apple Watch will unlock when it’s on your wrist automatically without you having to enter a passcode. Seems you may have been impatient.

 

[hg.wells]

Here’s the support article:

Lock or unlock Apple Watch

Unlock Apple Watch automatically with iPhone or manually. Customize passcode settings, adjust when your watch locks, configure security options.

support.apple.com

• Unlock Apple Watch when you unlock your iPhone: Go to the Apple Watch app
  
  on your iPhone, tap My Watch, tap Passcode, then turn on Unlock with iPhone.
  Your iPhone must be within normal Bluetooth range (about 33 feet or 10 meters) of your Apple Watch to unlock it. If Bluetooth is off on Apple Watch, enter the passcode on your watch to unlock it.

 

[hgfjhbvytjdnb]

Here’s the support article:

Lock or unlock Apple Watch

Unlock Apple Watch automatically with iPhone or manually. Customize passcode settings, adjust when your watch locks, configure security options.

support.apple.com

• Unlock Apple Watch when you unlock your iPhone: Go to the Apple Watch app
  
  on your iPhone, tap My Watch, tap Passcode, then turn on Unlock with iPhone.
  Your iPhone must be within normal Bluetooth range (about 33 feet or 10 meters) of your Apple Watch to unlock it. If Bluetooth is off on Apple Watch, enter the passcode on your watch to unlock it.

That's it. Interesting that it coincides with me enabling unlock iPhone with AW if Face ID fails option on the iPhone. Before that my AW never unlocked itself like that (and I can't remember if "Unlock with iPhone" under My Watch was enabled before either)

 

[Howard2k]

That's it. Interesting that it coincides with me enabling unlock iPhone with AW if Face ID fails option on the iPhone. Before that my AW never unlocked itself like that (and I can't remember if "Unlock with iPhone" under My Watch was enabled before either)

That sounds like exactly it.

If you take off your watch it will lock. Put it back on and it will stay locked until you unlock it.

One way to unlock it is to unlock your iPhone. When you do that it will also unlock your watch.

And the mechanism you're describing it something in reverse. When FaceID on the iPhone is not totally sure that you are you, if will be less cautious and unlock if your watch is nearby (and unlocked).

You may have enabled both together.

 

[hgfjhbvytjdnb]

You may have enabled both together.

Yep, that's precisely what happened. Thanks for the detailed explanation!

 

[MisterSavage]

This surprised me also. I've noticed the phone will only unlock it if the phone was recently unlocked. I've started using this instead of typing the passcode on my watch.

 

[hgfjhbvytjdnb]

This surprised me also. I've noticed the phone will only unlock it if the phone was recently unlocked. I've started using this instead of typing the passcode on my watch.

Now that you mentioned this, that's exactly what happened. I had my phone unlocked when I tried keying in the password. So the key to unlocking the watch without the passcode is to enable all the options + have the phone unlocked in that specific moment.

 

[MisterSavage]

Now that you mentioned this, that's exactly what happened. I had my phone unlocked when I tried keying in the password. So the key to unlocking the watch without the passcode is to enable all the options + have the phone unlocked in that specific moment.

Right, what I do is unlock my phone and then raise my wrist to wake the watch and trigger the unlock.

 

[CarlJ]

Right, what I do is unlock my phone and then raise my wrist to wake the watch and trigger the unlock.

I have the "iPhone unlocks Watch" turned on but not the "Watch unlocks iPhone". What I usually see happen, say on the way out the door, is I put on my watch, pick up my iPhone, use FaceID to unlock the iPhone to check something, and get a banner notification saying my Apple Watch has been unlocked by my iPhone, before I ever actually look at the watch.

 

[hgfjhbvytjdnb]

I have the "iPhone unlocks Watch" turned on but not the "Watch unlocks iPhone". What I usually see happen, say on the way out the door, is I put on my watch, pick up my iPhone, use FaceID to unlock the iPhone to check something, and get a banner notification saying my Apple Watch has been unlocked by my iPhone, before I ever actually look at the watch.

Good to know it works without the watch unlocking the iPhone, I'm considering turning that off.

 

[MisterSavage]

I have the "iPhone unlocks Watch" turned on but not the "Watch unlocks iPhone". What I usually see happen, say on the way out the door, is I put on my watch, pick up my iPhone, use FaceID to unlock the iPhone to check something, and get a banner notification saying my Apple Watch has been unlocked by my iPhone, before I ever actually look at the watch.

I've noticed that the phone doesn't seem to unlock the watch if the watch isn't awake. That's why I do the raise to wake part.