Work email on iPhone = forced passcode on watch

[katzy]

I've discovered that if you have work email on your iPhone, through an Exchange account that requires heightened passcode protection (i.e. 8 digits which have to be entered every time), this feature will carry over to the Watch.

This means the passcode option on the Watch is overridden, and I have to put in my 8 digit passcode every time I want to use the Watch.

This is obviously a massive pain considered how small the keypad on the Watch is and the fact that it's an 8 digit passcode!

I'm not aware of any any around this, unless an employer allows you to have different security settings (unlikely they would).

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[kid2010]

Put on the watch first and then unlock the Watch by unlocking your iPhone.

 

[katzy]

I know that is an option, but it would require me to have my phone out of my pocket and keep it unlocked for me to use the Watch.
And when the phone locks from inactivity, I'm locked out out of the Watch again.

Kind of defeats the purpose in my opinion, if I have to keep my phone out and unlocked just to use the Watch

 

[BellaMaggs]

I have the same problem, but under the watch settings and passcode I'm able to select a simple passcode that only requires four numbers. Have you tried that? Also as long as I have the phone on my wrist it doesn't lock. I hated it at first but then as I wore my watch all day today it didn't ask for a passcode, so I guess I can deal with it.

 

[k3roro]

This is very interesting. Does this apply to your work calendar on outlook as well? In my opinion if you put on the watch while the phone is unlocked, you shouldn't have to input any password until you take the watch off and put it back on again. Hopefully this gets visibility and they change it in the next upcoming software update.

 

[VirtualRain]

I noticed this too when I first took my watch out of the box to setup... and almost put it back in the box to return as a result, until I put it on. It only prompts for the passcode when the watch is not being worn. Smart.

 

[katzy]

I noticed this too when I first took my watch out of the box to setup... and almost put it back in the box to return as a result, until I put it on. It only prompts for the passcode when the watch is not being worn. Smart.

Good point!
I think this solves my problem - only need to unlock initially or if taken off wrist and then put back on - that's reasonable.

 

[doobry]

Good point!
I think this solves my problem - only need to unlock initially or if taken off wrist and then put back on - that's reasonable.

Out of interest do you have any device management on your work phone? Airwatch or something?

 

[MojoRisinSD]

Out of interest do you have any device management on your work phone? Airwatch or something?

I have AirWatch, if I leave it on it is fine but if I take it off it locks. I just reach into my pocket and unlock with touch id on phone, without taking it out, and am good to go!

 

[doobry]

I have AirWatch, if I leave it on it is fine but if I take it off it locks. I just reach into my pocket and unlock with touch id on phone, without taking it out, and am good to go!

Thanks Mojo, just to be *very* clear, you mean if you leave the watch on your wrist?

Thanks!

 

[MojoRisinSD]

Thanks Mojo, just to be *very* clear, you mean if you leave the watch on your wrist?

Thanks!

Yes, I meant leave it on the wrist. Glad I could help.

 

[doobry]

Yes, I meant leave it on the wrist. Glad I could help.

You did! My employer is enforcing AW next month!

 

[parkds]

I am having an issue along the same line. When originally setting up my phone to connect to my work's exchange server, it required me to use a complex alpha-numeric password to unlock the phone.

Fast forward to purchasing an Apple Watch. When setting up my Watch it skipped the step to setup the passcode. When I manually go into Settings to assign a passcode to the watch, it only gives me the option to create a simple passcode. But when I try to create a simple passcode nothing happens, I type in 4 digits and then it resets, it can enter the 4 digital twenty times and nothing changes. I am not able to create a complex passcode or unlock the watch with the phone.

Has anybody who is forced to use an alphanumeric password on their phone been able to set a passcode on their watch? There is no device management app on the phone. I spent 3 hours at the Genius Bar today and they were as puzzled as me.

Thanks!

 

[Mynyisles]

Good point!
I think this solves my problem - only need to unlock initially or if taken off wrist and then put back on - that's reasonable.

Katzy
Did u confirm that u only have to unlock once while watch is on and not enter every time? My employer has same enforcements on our work email.
Also do u have to unlock on watch or just Touch ID once and you're good?

 

[VirtualRain]

Katzy
Did u confirm that u only have to unlock once while watch is on and not enter every time? My employer has same enforcements on our work email.
Also do u have to unlock on watch or just Touch ID once and you're good?

I have a forced 6-digit passcode due to my company phone profile. This is what I've noticed...

Every morning when I put on the watch I need to enter my passcode on the watch. Once and only once. If you remove it from your wrist, every interaction will require a passcode until its back on your wrist or you cup the back with fingers/palm at which point one passcode entry will unlock it and keep it unlocked.

Basically it seems every time it loses contact with your skin, it will require a passcode. It's a smart system.

 

[MH01]

Yeah it's annoying, but once the watch is on your wrist you do not need to put in the pin each time. The pin needs to be out in again once the watch comes off your wrist

 

[spencecb]

I'm having a similar issue where my watch gets stuck in this cycle of having me type my passcode on my watch every single time, despite not taking it off my wrist. A couple of times, restarting has made behave normally, but since Saturday night I had to disable the passcode, as it wouldn't stop asking for it.

Today, Apple said it could be my Google account for work that is using Exchange. I turned off my calendars (the only think I had turned on on my iPhone) and that seemed to solve the problem, until tonight when I took it off my wrist to shower, then it's back to asking me every single time.

I have a follow up appointment with Apple tomorrow with the representative that helped me. Hopefully they have a workaround.

 

[xraydoc]

My workplace's IT requires a 4 digit code (at minimum) on the phone when configured with the corporate Exchange account. When setting up the watch, I was asked to choose a code for the watch, and chose one different than is on my phone (which presently is a long alphanumeric code).

The watch accepted and configured with the short 4 digit code of my choosing, despite the Exchange restrictions. And no trouble with the watch repeatedly asking for codes as long as I'm wearing it.

 

[skiborsy]

Similar problem for me. We have Mobile Iron and my work must have flipped a security switch this evening - prior to that, I couldn't have a passcode. Now, the watch can only be unlocked by unlocking my phone.

This was fine until I put my phone into airplane mode this evening with my watch set to mirror. As you probably know, you have to toggle airplane mode back to off on each device separately since the radios are disabled. And since the radios are disabled, I can't get into my watch to disable airplane mode.

Attempting a restore now...

Moral: turn off airplane mode mirroring if you have a corporate policy like ours...

----------

Update: Restore got me back to the land of no passcode (for now at least), but with no passcode I can't have Apple Pay. Airplane mode mirroring is still disabled though!

 

[Pinksteady]

Put on the watch first and then unlock the Watch by unlocking your iPhone.

This.

 

[Pagemakers]

I have exchange on my phone and consequently each time my watch is off my wrist it locks.

When the watch is on charge you can't see how full the charge is because the watch is locked!!! You have to put the watch on your wrist and unlock your phone just to see the watch battery %. Stupid

I am also unable to turn passcode off on the watch. Nor can I disable wrist detection.

Thanks for making up my mind for me Apple.

 

[Wildgift]

Guys--I have a great tip. I found that if you MANUALLY unlock your phone by entering your code, it unlocks the watch. At least mine does. Good luck!

 

[Pagemakers]

Touch ID does the same thing.

 

[wdfly]

I know that is an option, but it would require me to have my phone out of my pocket and keep it unlocked for me to use the Watch.
And when the phone locks from inactivity, I'm locked out out of the Watch again.

Kind of defeats the purpose in my opinion, if I have to keep my phone out and unlocked just to use the Watch

your watch should stay unlocked unless you remove it, perhaps yours is bugged.

 

[Wildgift]

Touch ID does the same thing.

Weirdly, that only works for me intermittently even though it perfectly unlocks the phone.