Unfortunately, you cannot unlock iPad with an apple watch now. So let’s examine how to enable mutual unlocking between a Watch, iPhone, and Mac.
When your iPhone is nearby and both your watch and iPhone are unlocked, Unlock with Apple Watch will function. Face ID is not utilized by the feature to identify and verify your identity. Only your iPhone can be unlocked using the Apple Watch method. You cannot unlock iPad with an apple watch now.
Apple made the iPhone the focal point of your online existence, transforming it into a sort of media, email, health, and security hub. A truly personal piece of technology is the Apple Watch. Apple uses proximity and other cues to allow Watch, iPhone, and Mac devices to unlock one another without the need for additional authentication.
The following combinations will allow you to unlock one device from another.
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Unlock Your iPhone With Face ID Using An Apple Watch
In order to address the issue of masks obstructing faces for accurate Face ID recognition, Apple added a feature to iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4. In Settings > Face ID & Passcode, you can enable Use your Apple Watch to unlock. Only iPhones with Face ID and an active Face ID account can use this.
You need to have wrist detection enabled and your Watch’s passcode set in order to use it to unlock your iPhone. Your Watch also needs to be on your wrist and unlocked. (For the purpose of adding a passcode and activating wrist detection, use the Passcode settings in the Watch app.) Both devices must also have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled. The Bluetooth standard distance is 10 meters (33 feet), but your Watch and iPhone may need to be closer—closer is more dependable than farther—and this distance must be between them.
Furthermore, iOS has identified face coverings as the reason why your iPhone cannot be unlocked using Face ID. Your iPhone will unlock using authentication from your Watch only then. When it functions, your Watch will vibrate a few times via haptic feedback, and a banner will momentarily appear on your iPhone. If you accidentally unlocked your iPhone, you can tap the Lock button that briefly appears on your Watch. If you select Lock, the next time you unlock your iPhone, you must enter your passcode.
While it seems like many conditions, I’ve seen it work consistently even when Face ID with a Mask is also enabled in Settings > Face ID & Passcode on my iPhone and Face ID doesn’t immediately recognize me.
Unlock Your Apple Watch from An iPhone
On the other hand, your Watch can be unlocked using your iPhone. In the Watch app, go to Passcode and enable Unlock with iPhone. If your Watch is locked because you have it on your wrist or for another reason, you can unlock it by unlocking your iPhone nearby. A banner with a Lock button that you can tap to cancel the action is briefly displayed on your iPhone. Your Watch is unlocked if you ignore it and tap it.
Because it debuted with the Watch so early, Apple neglected to note when it first became accessible. You can use it with any functional Watch and iPhone that are connected to it.
Unlock a Mac from An Apple Watch
The ability to unlock your computer with a nearby Watch was added to macOS by Apple in 2016. Any Watch model and the majority of Mac models running macOS versions released after late 2016 are compatible. The same Apple ID must be used to sign in to both the Mac and the Watch, and two-factor authentication must be enabled on the Apple ID account. (Knock, a program that could unlock your Mac using an iPhone or Watch, was shut down by Apple.)
Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General and check “Apps and your Mac can be unlocked using your Apple Watch.” Type in your administrative password. macOS then communicates with your The feature is enabled by your unlocked, on-your-wrist watch.
You might receive a prompt to enable the unlock feature in the upcoming macOS 13 Ventura, as I did after doing so on another Mac connected to my network that was still using macOS 12 Monterey. To enable it, go to System Settings > Touch ID & Password and enable the feature under Apple Watch.
The next time macOS is locked, just being close by while sporting your Watch will unlock it. The usual caveats apply: it only functions for unlocking, not for login. When your Mac restarts, comes back to life after being turned off, or you log back in after logging out but before turning it off, you must enter your Mac account password.
This feature also enables Touch ID on Macs with Touch ID support, the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID on Apple silicon M-series Macs, and administrative password entry using your Watch. When you double-click the side button to confirm, your Watch will first use haptics to draw your attention.
Apple forbids you from unlocking your Mac while its screen is being shared as a safety measure.
Apple advises that you can check to see if this feature will work on your Mac: hold down Option and choose > System Information and click Wi-Fi. Auto Unlock is listed as a line item, and if it is compatible with your Mac, the app will display Supported.
Conclusion: You Can’t Unlock IPad With An Apple Watch
Even though using the apple watch to unlock an iPad is not currently possible, you can still allow an iPhone, a Watch, and a Mac to unlock one another without requiring additional authentication.
