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Want to unlock your iPhone seamlessly using an Apple Watch? While wearing face-covering accessories such as masks, sunglasses, spectacles, and more, it can be difficult for Face ID to identify your face accurately. However, if you own an Apple smartwatch, you can set it up so that it can unlock your smartphone in a blink.
With the release of iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4, iPhone’s Face ID was improved with the ability to work in tandem with Apple's smartwatches, allowing users to unlock their smartphones without issues. While there is a way for users to set up Face ID to work with face masks or glasses, the Apple Watch method is easier. The next section of the article demonstrates the process to enable this useful setting.
Here’s how you can unlock an iPhone using an Apple Watch
First and foremost, make sure that both of the required devices fulfill these requirements:
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- An iPhone that uses Face ID (iPhone X or later) and has iOS 14.5 or later
- Apple's Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 7.4 or later
Unfortunately, iPhones that offer Touch ID (models older than iPhone X) don’t support this feature. It's highly recommended that you update both devices to the latest software version.
Before you begin setting things up, it should be noted that both devices need to have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on. However, they don’t have to be connected to a Wi-Fi network. Needless to say, the devices must be paired with each other. Lastly, the Watch needs to have a passcode and have wrist detection turned on.
You can now enable the unlock feature by following these steps:
- Wear the smartwatch on your wrist and keep it unlocked.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone and click on Face ID & Passcode. You’ll then be prompted to type out your passcode, which you must enter correctly.
- Now, scroll down to locate the Unlock with Apple Watch option and toggle the switch to enable it.
That’s it - you can now easily unlock your iPhone with an Apple Watch. While wearing the watch on your wrist, hold your iPhone in portrait mode and simply swipe up and glance to unlock it. The watch will display a notification declaring that the phone has been unlocked and you’ll also be given an option to lock it.
It should be mentioned that if your face is clearly visible, the iPhone will unlock normally using Face ID.
The Unlock with Apple Watch feature is activated only when you wear a face mask, sunglasses, or ski-goggles that cover your eyes or a considerable portion of your face. While you can unlock your smartphone using this method, you cannot authenticate transactions or sign into applications with it.
As mentioned before, users can now unlock their iPhone using Face ID while wearing a mask or sunglasses without requiring an Apple Watch. This ability was introduced with iOS 15.4 and can be set up from Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Face ID with a Mask.
