Wake the Apple Watch display, then customize how long it stays active before automatically locking. Apple Watch uses a passcode to keep your personal information secure. You can unlock Apple Watch manually or set it to unlock automatically when you unlock your iPhone.
It’s simple. By default, the display wakes when you raise your wrist, and your watch sleeps again when you lower it, and you can lock it manually, too.
Wake the Apple Watch display
The Apple Watch display wakes up by default when you do the following:
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Raise your wrist. Your Apple Watch sleeps again when you lower your wrist.
If your Apple Watch doesn’t wake when you raise your wrist, make sure you selected the proper wrist and watch orientation.
- Tap the display.
- Press or turn the Digital Crown.
If your Apple Watch doesn’t wake when you tap the display or press or turn the Digital Crown, it may need charging.
Unlock Apple Watch
- Enter the passcode: Wake Apple Watch, then enter the watch passcode.
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Unlock Apple Watch when you unlock your iPhone: Go to the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap My Watch, tap Passcode, then turn on Unlock with iPhone.
Your iPhone must be within normal Bluetooth range (about 33 feet or 10 meters) of your Apple Watch to unlock it. If Bluetooth is off on Apple Watch, enter the passcode on your watch to unlock it.
Change when Apple Watch automatically locks
Wrist Detection is on by default. It locks your Apple Watch automatically when you’re not wearing it.
- Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap Passcode, then turn Wrist Detection on or off.
Turning off Wrist Detection affects these Apple Watch features:
- When you use Apple Pay on your Apple Watch, you’re prompted to enter your passcode when you double-click the side button to authorize the payment.
- Some Activity measurements are unavailable.
- Heart rate tracking and notifications are turned off.
- Apple Watch no longer automatically locks and unlocks.
- Apple Watch doesn’t automatically make an emergency call even after it has detected a hard impact fall.
Lock manually
- Press the side button to open Control Center.
- Tap the Lock button.
The next time you try to use your Apple Watch, you need to enter your passcode.
See also
