Skip the Touch ID Scan: Unlock iPhone Duo With Apple Watch

iPhone Duo uses a Touch ID sensor built into the side button for authentication. Some may feel this is a step backwards after almost a decade of Face ID on iPhones, but if you wear an Apple Watch, you can use it to unlock your iPhone Duo instead. This way, you don't need to touch the side button at all. It's the closest thing we have to a seamless Face ID experience on iPhone Duo (at least for now).


The feature is called Unlock with Apple Watch. It's not new to iPhone, but it works reliably. Note that your Apple Watch needs to be a Series 9 or later, an Ultra 2 or later, or an SE 3. Here's how to turn on the feature and start using it.

Turn On Unlock With Apple Watch

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone Duo.


2. Tap Touch ID & Passcode, then enter your passcode.


3. Scroll down to "Unlock with Nearby Devices."


4. Toggle on the switch next to your Apple Watch. If you have more than one watch paired with your iPhone Duo, toggle it on for each one.

Unlock iPhone Duo With Your Watch

1. Make sure your Apple Watch is on your wrist and unlocked, and close to your iPhone Duo.


2. Wake iPhone Duo by raising it or tapping the screen. (If it's closed, opening it also wakes it.)


3. Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to dismiss the Lock Screen.

From here on, your Apple Watch will handle the authentication – no fingerprint shenanigans required. The swipe up is still needed to get past the Lock Screen, but you can turn off this additional step in Settings.

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This article, "Skip the Touch ID Scan: Unlock iPhone Duo With Apple Watch" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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