How to unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch

Masks have made Face ID unlock for iPhone difficult, but fortunately, there is another option if you have an Apple Watch. Here’s how to unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch.

Apple introduced this feature with iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 earlier this year and it’s a fantastic option for anyone with an iPhone and Apple Watch. Using it keeps you secure while eliminating the hassle of punching in your passcode whenever Face ID doesn’t work.

You don’t need the latest iPhone 13 or Apple Watch 7 for this feature, but due to the iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 software requirements, you must have an iPhone 6s or newer and an Apple Watch 3 or newer. As long as you check those boxes this feature is quick and easy to set up and use so let’s get to it. 

How to unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch

• Open Settings
• Select Face ID & Passcode
• Enter your passcode when the prompt appears
• Scroll down to Unlock with Apple Watch and tap on the toggle to turn it on

Sean Riley has been covering tech professionally for over a decade now. Most of that time was as a freelancer covering varied topics including phones, wearables, tablets, smart home devices, laptops, AR, VR, mobile payments, fintech, and more.  Sean is the resident mobile expert at Laptop Mag, specializing in phones and wearables, you’ll find plenty of news, reviews, how-to, and opinion pieces on these subjects from him here. But Laptop Mag has also proven a perfect fit for that broad range of interests with reviews and news on the latest laptops, VR games, and computer accessories along with coverage on everything from NFTs to cybersecurity and more.