Apple Admits Issue with Unlock with Apple Watch

[BearsFan34]

Failing here as well. Have gone through all the steps. 2018 MacBook Pro 13". Watch Series 4. On the latest software for iOS, macOS and watchOS. Unlocking with the Watch worked about an hour and a half ago on Catalina. Since the upgrade to Big Sur, and running all the steps -- unlock with Watch doesn't work any more. Several reboots of all the things, no dice.

 

[jwolf6589]

Failing here as well. Have gone through all the steps. 2018 MacBook Pro 13". Watch Series 4. On the latest software for iOS, macOS and watchOS. Unlocking with the Watch worked about an hour and a half ago on Catalina. Since the upgrade to Big Sur, and running all the steps -- unlock with Watch doesn't work any more. Several reboots of all the things, no dice.

Have you upgraded to watch OS 7.1? For me thats what solved the issue.

 

[BearsFan34]

Have you upgraded to watch OS 7.1? For me thats what solved the issue.

Yes sir. Did all the updates when picking up the 12 Mini yesterday. Everything is up to date. Still won't work. Watch worked with Catalina earlier this morning. Now it seems like Big Sur (11.0.1) seems to be what's broken it.

 

[jwolf6589]

Yes sir. Did all the updates when picking up the 12 Mini yesterday. Everything is up to date. Still won't work. Watch worked with Catalina earlier this morning. Now it seems like Big Sur (11.0.1) seems to be what's broken it.

I don't know. Have you called Apple? Thats what I did.

 

[BearsFan34]

I don't know. Have you called Apple? Thats what I did.

No. Not yet. It's not a critical thing. I really like using the watch unlock, but it's not reached the level of ultimate frustration yet. Touch ID still works.

Will probably do another reboot or two of all devices at some point and see how that works. If not, then I'll start a support call.

 

[lc96]

Have you upgraded to watch OS 7.1? For me thats what solved the issue.

 

[lc96]

Are you on Big Sur?

 

[jwolf6589]

Are you on Big Sur?

yes and its working just great.

 

[lc96]

yes and its working just great.

And what series watch do you have?

 

[Apple_Robert]

And what series watch do you have?

His signature shows a series 4.

 

[jwolf6589]

And what series watch do you have?

Series 4

 

[lc96]

I have tried every fix listed here and other threads, spent time on phone with Apple. Guess I'll try Big Sur and see what happens. (Series 5, new MacBook this year).

 

[lc96]

Nope.

 

[Boomer5100]

Yes sir. Did all the updates when picking up the 12 Mini yesterday. Everything is up to date. Still won't work. Watch worked with Catalina earlier this morning. Now it seems like Big Sur (11.0.1) seems to be what's broken it.

Try signing out of iCloud on Mac and then logging back in.

 

[lc96]

Try signing out of iCloud on Mac and then logging back in.

Joining in here with problems, do you mean turn off iCloud Drive?

 

[BearsFan34]

A couple of reboots later -- and unlocking with the Watch is working. For right now.

 

[Boomer5100]

Joining in here with problems, do you mean turn off iCloud Drive?

No, sign out of iCloud completely. In System Preferences select Apple ID top right , select Overview and sign out bottom left. Give it a minute or so and sign back in.

 

[lc96]

No, sign out of iCloud completely. In System Preferences select Apple ID top right , select Overview and sign out bottom left. Give it a minute or so and sign back in.

Ok, working again, thanks! Fingers crossed.

 

[appletvbob]

Had the same problem after updating a 2018 Mac Mini to Big Sur. Apple Watch 6 and iPhone 12 Pro are my main devices. I tried the original solutions (plist deletions, etc...) to no avail. Turning iCloud on then off then on again WORKS. But then I have to do the same on my iPads and phone. Pain in the butt, Apple. Seriously. Hopefully, my calendar and everything else remained intact and set up the way I intended.

 

[jwolf6589]

Had the same problem after updating a 2018 Mac Mini to Big Sur. Apple Watch 6 and iPhone 12 Pro are my main devices. I tried the original solutions (plist deletions, etc...) to no avail. Turning iCloud on then off then on again WORKS. But then I have to do the same on my iPads and phone. Pain in the butt, Apple. Seriously. Hopefully, my calendar and everything else remained intact and set up the way I intended.

So its apples fault? For me everything worked like a charm after watch OS 7.1.

 

[lc96]

So its apples fault? For me everything worked like a charm after watch OS 7.1.

Which wasn't the case for everyone. With a series 5 AW and new MacBook, 7.1 only worked for about 48 hours. Signing out and back into iCloud worked for 36 hours.

 

[jwolf6589]

Which wasn't the case for everyone. With a series 5 AW and new MacBook, 7.1 only worked for about 48 hours.

Hmm... I don't know. Have you contacted Apple?

 

[lc96]

Hmm... I don't know. Have you contacted Apple?

Over the summer probably spent 20 hours working on this. Completely set up as new with Tier 2 support, at least twice, if not three times provided engineering with diagnostics from the MacBook and watch, unpaired and repaired watch. I can't even remember what else they did with me. The last Tier 2 person suggested taking it in, which is just a few miles away, but so far haven't been able to grab an appt. If I were working would not have had time for any of this.

 

[Apple_Robert]

My series 6 watch is having no problems unlocking my Mac mini with Big Sur.

 

[lc96]

My series 6 watch is having no problems unlocking my Mac mini with Big Sur.

Makes me wonder if it's the series 5? Or hardware in new MacBook?