If your iPhone is not unlocking your Apple Watch, first check the paired iPhone’s Apple Watch app: go to My Watch > Passcode and turn on Unlock with iPhone. Keep the devices close, make sure the watch has a passcode and Wrist Detection is on, and enter the watch passcode manually if the watch is locked.
“Unlock with iPhone” means the iPhone unlocks the paired Apple Watch; it is different from using an Apple Watch to unlock an iPhone. If the devices are disconnected, check their settings and restart them before considering unpairing and pairing again.
First, make sure you are fixing the right feature
Apple has two differently directed unlock features:
| Symptom | Feature and setting | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone unlocks Apple Watch | Apple Watch app > My Watch > Passcode > Unlock with iPhone | Unlocks the paired watch when you unlock the iPhone, while the devices are close and connected. |
| Apple Watch unlocks iPhone | iPhone Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Unlock with Apple Watch | Helps unlock a supported iPhone in specific circumstances. It does not authenticate Apple Pay or passwords. |
This article covers the first direction. The separate Unlock with Apple Watch feature has its own compatibility and security requirements; it will not fix a watch that does not unlock from its paired iPhone.
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- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Quick checklist
- On the paired iPhone, open Apple Watch > My Watch > Passcode and turn on Unlock with iPhone.
- Confirm that the watch has a passcode and Wrist Detection is enabled.
- Wear the watch and keep it close to the paired iPhone—Apple describes normal Bluetooth range as about 33 feet (10 meters).
- Make sure Airplane Mode is off and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on while troubleshooting.
- If the watch is locked, enter its passcode manually.
- If the devices appear disconnected, restart both; check for a compatible software update if needed.
- Unpair and pair again only if the connection still cannot be restored.
1. Turn on “Unlock with iPhone”
On the paired iPhone:
- Open the Apple Watch app.
- Tap My Watch.
- Tap Passcode.
- Turn on Unlock with iPhone.
This is the setting for unlocking the watch from the iPhone. Do not confuse it with Unlock with Apple Watch, which is an iPhone setting for the reverse direction.
2. Check the watch passcode and Wrist Detection
Make sure the Apple Watch has a passcode, Wrist Detection is on, and you are wearing the watch. Apple says the watch locks when it is removed; if it has locked, enter its passcode manually before trying automatic unlocking again.
Do not turn off Wrist Detection as a shortcut. Apple says disabling it prevents automatic locking and unlocking and affects Apple Pay authorization, some Activity measurements, heart-rate tracking, notifications, and automatic emergency calling after a hard-impact fall.
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- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
3. Check the connection between the iPhone and Apple Watch
Keep the paired iPhone within normal Bluetooth range of the watch. Apple describes this as about 33 feet (10 meters) (Apple Support, “Lock or unlock Apple Watch”); this is guidance, not a guaranteed distance in every environment.
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- Place the iPhone and watch close together.
- On iPhone, make sure Airplane Mode is off and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on.
- On Apple Watch, make sure Airplane Mode is off.
- If Bluetooth is off on the watch, enter the watch passcode manually.
Keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled while troubleshooting. The dossier’s reviewed Apple guidance identifies proximity and Bluetooth as central to this feature; it does not establish that cellular service or a particular Wi-Fi network is required.
4. Restart both devices
If the devices still will not connect after checking proximity and radio settings, restart the Apple Watch and iPhone normally. Check whether they reconnect before moving to more disruptive steps. Follow Apple’s guidance for restarting your specific devices.
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- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
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5. Check for a compatible software update
Software availability depends on the watch model. Apple advises keeping the iPhone up to date before updating watchOS; use the update screen to find the newest version compatible with your watch.
- On iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
- Tap My Watch > General > Software Update.
- Follow the on-screen instructions if an update is available.
Apple advises keeping the watch charged, the iPhone nearby and connected to Wi-Fi, and avoiding restarting devices or closing the Watch app during installation. If an update will not start, check the charger and restart both devices before trying again.
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6. Unpair and pair the watch again
If proximity, Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings, and restarts do not restore the connection, Apple’s next connection step is to unpair and pair the watch again. Follow Apple’s official unpairing and pairing instructions rather than erasing the watch as an early troubleshooting step. Keep the Apple Account details associated with the watch available and review Apple’s instructions for your model before proceeding.
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- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
When to contact Apple
Contact Apple Support if the watch still will not connect or pair after you have followed the official troubleshooting steps, or if the process fails. The available evidence does not establish a hardware cause from this symptom alone, so avoid assuming that a particular accessory or repair is needed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Why won’t my iPhone unlock my Apple Watch?
Check that Unlock with iPhone is enabled in the paired iPhone’s Apple Watch app under My Watch > Passcode. Also check that the watch has a passcode, Wrist Detection is on, the watch is worn, and the devices are close and connected.
How do I turn on Unlock with iPhone?
On the paired iPhone, open the Apple Watch app, tap My Watch > Passcode, then turn on Unlock with iPhone.
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![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41s72HIk5TL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Why does my Apple Watch ask for its passcode?
If the watch has locked after being removed from your wrist, enter its passcode manually. Automatic unlocking is not a substitute for unlocking a watch that is already locked.
Does Apple Watch need to be near my iPhone?
Yes. Apple says the iPhone must be within normal Bluetooth range—about 33 feet (10 meters)—of the Apple Watch to unlock it. Actual range can vary.
Can I turn off Wrist Detection to fix unlocking?
Do not use that as a first-line fix. Apple says turning Wrist Detection off prevents automatic locking and unlocking and affects other watch functions, including Apple Pay authorization, some Activity measurements, heart-rate tracking, and automatic emergency calling after a hard-impact fall.
What if I meant that my Apple Watch will not unlock my iPhone?
That is the separate Unlock with Apple Watch feature, found on iPhone under Settings > Face ID & Passcode. Apple lists compatibility requirements including iPhone X or later with iOS 14.5 or later and Apple Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 7.4 or later; requirements and availability may depend on the devices and software.
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For Unlock with iPhone, enable the setting in the paired iPhone’s Apple Watch app, keep a passcode and Wrist Detection enabled, wear the watch, and keep it close to the iPhone. If the devices are disconnected, check Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, then restart both; check for a compatible update and unpair and pair only if connection recovery fails.
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