How to use 'Approve with Apple Watch' on macOS Catalina

The Apple Watch has come a long way, since it was released more than 6 years ago. Recently, the tech world has witnessed the launch of the latest Apple Watch 5 and watchOS 6. A new feature introduced in macOS Catalina allows Apple Watch to perform authentication actions on a Mac.

This feature, known as 'Approve with Apple Watch', offers two solutions. Firstly, it allows you to see the password on your Mac (specifically in Safari), whenever you need to enter the password. Second, 'Approve with Apple Watch' provides a unique way to approve application settings and other password-protected actions, such as unlocking settings in System Preferences, modifying original files, Unlock secure Notes files, etc.

To use Approve with Apple Watch, you will need the following:

1. Apple Watch runs watchOS 6 and above

2. Macs run macOS Catalina and above

3. Auto-Unlock feature is enabled

4. Two-factor authentication is enabled on the iCloud account.

First, to turn on the Auto-Unlock feature:

1. Turn on the Apple Watch and wear it on the wrist. If the watch is not on the wrist, you will not be able to activate Auto-Lock, because the Mac will not be able to recognize the device.

2. You also need to have a passcode set on the Apple Watch. If you haven't set a passcode yet, simply open the Settings app from the Apple Watch app screen and tap Passcode to set it up.

3. On a Mac, open System Preferences .

4. Click Security and Privacy and then select General.

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5. Activate the 'Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac' option . This will require you to enter the administrator ID and password.

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Once completed, you will need to enable two-factor authentication on your iCloud account. There are many ways to do this: By visiting the Apple ID website, using the iPhone / iPad Settings app, etc. The example will activate it directly from the macOS System Preferences application. To do so, follow the instructions below:

1. In System Preferences , access the iCloud account.

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2. From the left panel, select Passwords and Security .

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3. Activate two-factor authentication option.

When this is done, Auto-Unlock will work automatically on Apple Watch or Mac. Follow the example below to see how it works:

1. In Safari, if you open a web page with a password field, Safari will show you a main icon next to the password (provided that you saved the password in Safari before).

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2. If you click the icon to access the password list, you will have the option to enter the password on the Mac or simply double-click the Apple Watch button to activate 'Approve with Apple Watch' .

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This works the same in the System Preferences application. If you need to unlock a specific setting to make changes, simply use the 'Approve with Apple Watch' feature to unlock directly from Apple Watch instead of entering a password on a Mac.

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As described above, Approve with Apple Watch can help you save time on entering passwords.

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Hope you are succesful.