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How to Lock Apple Watch (Nov 2023)

Did you know that locking your Apple Watch prevents anyone from accessing the device without its Passcode? Yes, that right. But that’s not all. Locking the screen of your Apple watch offers a host of other benefits including minimizing the risk of accidental taps. In this step by step guide, we will teach you how to lock your Apple watch. Read on for the details…..

Locking your Apple Watch comes with tons of benefits. For instance, it prevents your Apple Watch from being unpaired from your iPhone if the former is stolen or misplaced. A locked Apple Watch redirects all notifications to your paired iPhone device.

An Apple Watch automatically locks itself when it's off your wrist by default. You can lock your Apple Watch manually after deactivating the Wrist Detection feature. Keep reading to discover all the methods to lock and unlock your Apple Watch.


Lock your Apple Watch

There are multiple options to lock your Apple Watch. Depending on the Apple Watch Settings you make, your device will either be manually or automatically locked.


1. How to lock your Apple Watch automatically

How to lock your Apple Watch automatically

Apple Watches have a Wrist Detection Feature.  By default, your Apple Watch will lock immediately after you remove it from your wrist. And that’s a good thing. You don’t want others accessing your watch without your permission whenever you choose to remove it from your wrist.


2. How to manually lock your Apple Watch

Apart from the automatic locking set by default on all Apple watches, you also have the option of locking the watch manually. Here is how:

Step 1: Touch and hold the bottom of your Apple Watch Screen.

Step 2: Swipe up to open the watch’s Control Center.

Step 3: Tap on the Padlock icon.

Tap on the Padlock icon

Note that manual locking of the Apple watch entails disabling the Wrist Detection feature first. Now your Apple Watch is locked, and you will be required to enter the Passcode the next time you want to access your device.


Change your Apple Watch Passcode

While setting up your Apple Watch for the first time, you will be prompted to set up a Passcode to lock your device. However, you can change it whenever you like in two options:


1. How to set up a Lock Passcode on your Apple Watch:

To set a lock passcode on your Apple Watch, follow these steps:

Step 1: On Apple Watch, launch the Settings app (a gray icon with a gear on it).

launch the Settings app

Step 2: Using your finger, scroll down and select Passcode, or turn the Digital Crown and select Passcode.

Step 3: Tap on Passcode.

Tap on Passcode

Step 4: Tap on Change Passcode.

Step 5: Enter your Current Passcode.

Enter your Current Passcode

Step 6: Enter your New Passcode and re-enter the New Passcode to confirm the change.


2. How to change your Apple Watch Passcode via your iPhone.

You can also change the passcode of your Apple Watch from your iPhone. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: On your iPhone, launch the Apple Watch

Step 2: Tap on the My Watch

Tap on the My Watch tab

Step 3: Tap on Passcode and then tap on Change Passcode.

Step 4: Enter your Current Passcode.

Step 5: Enter your New Passcode and re-enter the New Passcode to confirm.

Remember to use a strong (complex) Passcode that you can easily recall but cannot be easily guessed by anyone else. To do that, turn off the Simple Passcode option via the Passcode menu.


Unlock Apple Watch

An Apple Watch user has the option to unlock the device by either setting it to unlock automatically after unlocking the paired iPhone device or by entering the Passcode manually on the Apple Watch.


1. Unlock Apple Watch using your iPhone device:

You can unlock your Apple Watch using your iPhone. Follow these steps to get it done:

Step 1: On your iPhone, launch the Apple Watch

Step 2: Tap on the My Watch

Step 3: Tap on Passcode.

Step 4: Turn on Unlock with iPhone.

Turn on Unlock with iPhone

Alternatively:

Step 1: On your Apple Watch, open the Settings app (a grey icon with a gear on it).

Step 2: Tap on Passcode.

Step 3: Turn on Unlock with iPhone.

Ensure both your Apple Watch and iPhone are in close proximity so that the Bluetooth functionality can be effective in unlocking the watch.


2. Unlock your Apple Watch using a Passcode

You can also unlock your Apple Watch using a Passcode. To do that, proceed as follows:

Step 1: Wake your Apple Watch.

Step 2: Enter your correct Apple Watch Passcode.

Enter your correct Apple Watch Passcode

Step 3: Tap OK. Your Apple Watch will then be unlocked.


Turn off your Apple Watch Passcode 

Apple Watch users may opt not to incorporate a Passcode to lock or unlock their device.  The lack of a Passcode on the Apple Watch denies you access to features such as the Apple Pay. You can turn off the watch Passcode in two options:


1. Turn off the passcode via your Apple Watch:

To turn off the passcode feature via the Apple watch, proceed as follows:

Step 1: On your Apple Watch, open the Settings app (a grey icon with a gear on it).

Step 2: Tap on Passcode.

Step 3: Tap on Turn Passcode Off.

Tap on Turn PasscodeOff


2. Turn off the Apple Watch Passcode via your iPhone device.

Besides switching it off directly via the Apple Watch, you can also disable the passcode feature via your iPhone. Here is how to do it:

Step 1: On your iPhone, launch the Apple Watch

Step 2: Tap on the My Watch

Step 3: Tap on Passcode.

Step 4: Tap on Turn Passcode Off.

Tap on Turn Passcode Off


Change the Wrist Detection setting on your Apple Watch.

If you wish to disable the Wrist detection feature on your Apple Watch, follow these steps:

Change the Wrist Detection setting on your Apple Watch

Step 1: On your Apple Watch, open the Settings app (a grey icon with a gear on it).

Step 2: Tap on Passcode.

Step 3: Turn the Wrist Detection on or off.

Note that turning off the Wrist Detection may interrupt the smooth working of your Apple watch by disabling some features.


Conclusion

There are many ways to go about locking your Apple Watch. Remember that locking your watch offers tons of benefits, including preventing your watch from un-pairing from the linked iPhone device. It also prevents unauthorized access to your Apple Watch whenever you remove it from your wrist. That being said, we come to the end of this post.