Apple this week launched the first developer and public betas of iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4, bringing a major change in the integration between the iPhone and the Apple Watch. For the first time, you can now use Apple Watch to unlock your iPhone when using a face mask. That’s how it works.
There are few things that are worth noting right away. First, this requires the latest developer or public beta of iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4. If you don’t want to get on the beta train, we expect iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 to be released to the general public in the coming months.
Unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch
To enable the Unlock with Apple Watch feature, open the Settings app on your iPhone and look for the “Face ID and Password” setting. After reversing this button, your Apple Watch will be able to authenticate your iPhone, as long as the following conditions are met:
- Face ID detects a mask
- Your Apple Watch is near
- Your Apple Watch is on your wrist
- Your Apple Watch is unlocked
- Your Apple Watch has a password enabled
Another thing to keep in mind here is that if you disable the Apple Watch’s pulse detection feature, you won’t be able to unlock the iPhone with the Apple Watch.
IOS 14.5 beta video walkthrough
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After enabling the feature, iPhone will automatically unlock with Apple Watch the next time you wear a face mask. When your iPhone unlocks, you will receive a tactile feedback notification on your Apple Watch informing you that your iPhone has been unlocked by Apple Watch. There is also the option to “lock the iPhone” quickly, directly from that Apple Watch notification.
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The feature is similar to how the Apple Watch unlock feature works on the Mac, but it seems to be faster and more reliable in my first tests. On the Mac, the Apple Watch can be used for a variety of different authentication tasks, including access controls in System Preferences, Apple Pay purchases, and more.
On the iPhone, unlocking the Apple Watch is limited only to unlocking the iPhone while you wear the mask. It doesn’t work if your iPhone can’t detect whether you’re wearing a mask and it doesn’t work for things like Apple Pay, credit card autocomplete in Safari, or access to Apple Card features in the Wallet app. In such cases, you will still have to enter your password if you are using a mask.
The “Lock iPhone” button is an important security step, as it allows you to lock your iPhone again if it is unlocked by someone else using a face mask. It doesn’t look like this feature is looking for your face. Instead, he is simply looking for a face mask, and when he registers a face mask – whether on you or someone else – he will use proximity to unlock with his Apple Watch.
Ultimately, what is important to keep in mind here is that the Unlock with Apple Watch feature is not as secure as unlock with Face or a password, but it is much more convenient.
Despite its limitations, support for unlocking the iPhone with the Apple Watch while wearing a mask is a major change amid the COVID-19 pandemic. What do you think of the feature? Let us know in the comments!
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