Last week, I showed you how to customize the Dock on your Apple Watch so that you can get to the apps you use quicker.

This week, I’m going to show you how to use your Apple Watch to Unlock your Mac.

Security

While the iPhone has had the TouchID sensor or FaceID since the iPhone 5s, the Mac has lagged behind in biometrics. The MacBook Pro with TouchBar and the newest model of MacBook Air now have TouchID to allow you to log in using your finger print.

FaceID hasn’t made its way to the Mac yet, but a couple of years ago, Apple added the ability to use the biometrics on your Apple Watch to log you into your account on a Mac.

Now, there are a couple of limitations – your Mac needs to be able to run at least macOS 10.11 I believe and have wifi and Bluetooth turned on. Also, if multiple people have accounts that are currently open on your Mac, you will need to log in with your password instead.

But, enough of that, here’s how you allow your Apple Watch to log you into your Mac.

Setting it up

1. Logged into your account on your Mac and with your Apple Watch on, head to the Apple Button in the top left and go to System Preferences.
2. In the System Preferences Pane select Security & Privacy.
3. Check the box besides the Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac option.
4. It will ask you for your password to the system.
5. Input your password and accept.
6. Next time your Mac needs your password after it wakes from sleep, it will log you in as long as you have your Apple Watch on.

Pretty simple!

Now as I mentioned, if someone else is logged into the same Mac, it doesn’t always work, and it will ask you for your password when you try to log in. Also, if you haven’t signed in to that computer in twenty-four hours, it will ask you for your password.

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Things are coming

Rumors are spreading that Apple is going to be improving and increasing this interplay between Apple Watch and Mac in the next revisions due out this fall.

Currently, you can unlock your Mac and authentic Apple Pay purchases using your Watch.

Hopefully, that helped out.

Other Tech Tips

Check out the last Tech Tips:

• Change the double tap on your AirPods
• Customize Control Center
• Deal with text on your iPad
• Customize the Dock on your Apple Watch