Apple Watch stops unlocking 1password

bestlem

I have been using my Apple Watch 10 to unlock 1password.

1password has just stopped seeing watch.

There is no watch icon on the login dialog.

There is no watch setting in 1password settings.

How do I keep 1password using Apple Watch and no just randomly lose all track of it.

I have changed nothing in security since it was working.

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1Password Version: 1Password for Mac 8.10.44 81044034, on PRODUCTION
Extension Version: N/A
OS Version: macOS 14.7 (23H124)
Browser: N/A

bestlem

Ah my watch was still in recharge mode not on my wrist so needed a passcode.

However there is bad UX here. I had been wearing the watch for over an hour and showing the normal watch face.

1password should still show the watch icons and field.

Dave_1P

Hello @bestlem! 👋

I'm sorry that Apple Watch unlock wasn't working. Just to clarify: was your Apple Watch locked or unlocked when it wasn't available to unlock the 1Password app?

After you unlocked the Apple Watch by entering your passcode, can you now see the Apple Watch in the Settings window and can unlock 1Password using the Apple Watch?

I look forward to hearing from you.

-Dave

bestlem

The watch was locked - but showed the normal display so seemed OK.
So the experience was as expected I could not log in - fair enough.

The annoyance really was that for 1password all the Apple Watch entries went missing so I spent 15 minutes rereading documentation which all said there should be an Apple Watch entry in settings.

For the Watch it should have stayed with the PIN entry rather than show the normal face.

Dave_1P

@bestlem

I'm sorry for the frustration. I agree that it seems like 1Password's handling of an Apple Watch that is enabled for unlock but not currently available could be better. For example, the app could show a message somewhere letting you know that 1Password can't connect to your Apple Watch.

I've filed issues with our development team so that they can look into this further. I've also reached out to our documentation team to see if they can add a note about this scenario to our guide on Apple Watch unlock.

Let me know if there's anything else that I can help you with.

-Dave

ref: dev/core/core#33121
ref: dev/web/support.1password.com#4675

bestlem

This seems to work for some time.

Then after a few days 1password just does not see the watch again but the watch does unlock the Mac,

Sometimes after altering on the watch the Accessibility speed double click it works sometimes it does not.

1password NEEDS to show the status of the Apple Watch and show exactly what is happening as it is unreliable.

Dave_1P

@bestlem

I'm sorry that Apple Watch unlock isn't working consistently. Can you describe the issue a little more? When you try to unlock 1Password using your Apple Watch do you feel a tap on your wrist? Or is there no tap?

The next time that the issue occurs, can you check to see if you can use your Apple Watch to authenticate a system prompt. Try these steps the next time that you're unable to unlock 1Password using your Apple Watch:

1. Click on the  in the menu bar.
2. Click System Settings.
3. Click Privacy & Security.
4. Click Advanced.
5. As a temporary troubleshooting step, turn on "Log out automatically after inactivity".
6. You'll now see a macOS system prompt asking you to confirm the action. You should receive a double-tap notification on your Apple Watch.

Are you able to use the Apple Watch to authenticate the macOS system prompt? Once this test is complete you can turn off "Log out automatically after inactivity" if you wish. Note: This isn't a fix for the issue but a troubleshooting test to see if authenticating a system prompt also doesn't work when Apple Watch unlock doesn't work for 1Password.

-Dave