Apple Acknowledges ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ Issue on iPhone 13 (Fix Coming Soon)

• A number of iPhone 13 owners are reporting issues with 'Unlock with Apple Watch.'
• Even Apple has acknowledged the issue, without providing a workaround. 
• Expect a software update in the coming days, resolving the issue for good. 

Apple has acknowledged an issue with activating and using the 'Unlock with Apple Watch' feature, which seems to affect the iPhone 13 lineup. As noted via one of its support pages, the company says it’s working on a software update, which should reach your device soon. As of right now, we don’t have any more details about when to expect that update, but the chances that we’re talking about days (not weeks) here. 

Earlier this year, the 'Unlock with Apple Watch' feature was released via iOS 14.5, allowing its users to unlock an iPhone using Face ID and a paired Apple Watch. As such, that feature seems to be designed specifically for the age we’re living in, where face masks have become mandatory, creating authentication issues for devices like iPhones. This feature works on the iPhone X models and newer - and includes the freshly released iPhone 13 generation as well (which seems to be the only generation affected by this issue). 

Over the past weekend, numerous users of Reddit turned to the r/AppleWatch board to voice their concerns about this issue. As per their reports, the 'Unlock with Apple Watch' feature is all but useless right now, as even resetting your Apple Watch or your iPhone 13 won't help. Some users have reported a rather lengthy solution involving backing up, formatting, and restoring their devices. However, such solutions seem to result from risky endeavors, and we don't recommend trying them out. 

As per Apple’s support document, a software update is on its way. In the meantime, the company recommends you switch to using a passcode to unlock your smartphone, which seems to be the "next best" available solution. In the coming days, keep your eye for an update (iOS 15.0.1, most probably) by going to Settings > General > Software Update.