As a security feature, Apple has designed the Apple Watch to lock itself whenever it’s not on the wrist. That way, no one can access your personal information or make purchases using Apple Pay without your consent. But at times, your watch may appear to lock itself. Why does that happen?
An Apple Watch will lock itself if it loses contact with your skin, even for a few seconds. This means that you may have been wearing it too loosely. Accumulated dirt on the back can also make it harder for the sensors to detect your wrist. Clean your watch and wear it properly to prevent issues.
Now that you’ve got an idea why your Apple Watch might be locking unexpectedly, let’s take a closer look at the possible reasons and what you can do to prevent it from occurring in the future.
Why Apple Watches Lock Automatically
Wrist detection is a feature of the Apple Watch (on Amazon) that allows your watch to remain unlocked while you’re wearing it. When you turn it off, or if the feature isn’t working as it should, your watch will keep locking itself whenever it loses contact with your skin.
Wrist Detection
If you prefer, you can set your Apple Watch to only lock itself when you manually do so. Here’s how to disable wrist detection from your iPhone:
- On your iPhone, open the Watch App.
- Go to the My Watch tab and select Passcode.
- Toggle off Wrist Detection.
- Tap Turn Off to confirm.
Alternatively, you can disable wrist detection directly from your watch:
- On your Apple Watch, go to Settings.
- Select Passcode.
- Enable or disable Wrist Detection.
A few things will happen when you turn off wrist detection:
- Your watch will not lock and unlock itself automatically.
- When using Apple Pay, your watch will ask you to enter the passcode.
- Heart rate tracking and other notifications will be disabled.
- The Apple Watch Series 4 (on Amazon), Apple Watch SE (on Amazon), and later models won’t make an emergency call after detecting a hard impact fall.
- A few activity measurements will be unavailable.
Manually Locking an Apple Watch
After disabling wrist detection, your Apple Watch will remain on even after you unclasp it from your wrist. You’ll also need to turn it off manually. Manually locking your watch comes in handy when working out, and you don’t want accidental touches messing up your stats.
Here’s how to manually lock an Apple Watch:
- Open the Control Center by touching the bottom of the screen and swiping it up.
- Tap the lock icon.
You will have to input your password manually when unlocking your watch. If you forget your password, you’ll have to erase it to use it again.
How to Properly Wear Your Apple Watch
It’s important to confirm that you’re wearing your Apple Watch correctly. Most importantly, it shouldn’t be too loose. Any gap between your skin and the watch band can cause it to lose contact for a few seconds, and that’s all it needs to lock itself.
That said, you don’t have to wear the watch uncomfortably tight. Simply ensure that it’s relatively snug. Although not confirmed by Apple, a few users have noted that wearing their Apple Watches far up the arm, above the wrist, makes them lock.
Try wearing your watch close to the wrist bone and see whether it fixes the problem.
How to Keep Your Apple Watch Unlocked All the Time
If you want to keep your Apple Watch unlocked all the time, here are a few things to try out.
Clean Your Watch
Any debris or dirt that accumulates on the sensors of your watch can make it lose track or contact with your wrist and lock itself. Clean the back of your watch to remove this dirt. Dampen the watch with water and wipe it with a soft cloth.
Re-Pair iPhone and Apple Watch
One possible solution if you’re experiencing any issues is to unpair your watch and iPhone and pair them again. Doing this will fix any bugs and ensure the connection between the two is as it should be.
To re-pair your devices from your iPhone, go to Watch App > My Watch > All Watches > information (i) button > Unpair Apple Watch. Pair them again after a few seconds.
Restart iPhone and Apple Watch
Try restarting your phone and your Apple Watch. Restart your phone first, and then turn on your Apple Watch.
Press the Side button and Digital Crown to restart your Apple Watch. Slide the Power Off slider to the right. Turn it on again by holding the Side button until you see the Apple logo.
Visit Apple Service Center
If all the troubleshooting options fail, then it’s likely that your Apple Watch has a sensor failure. This isn’t a problem that you can fix on your own. Visit your local phone repair shop, or better yet, contact Apple Support.
Extra Pro Tips to Remember
Here are a few extra tips to keep your watch working properly:
- Avoid soap when cleaning your watch. While you want it to be sparkling clean, detergents will ruin it. Instead, use a soft cloth and water.
- Avoid force when cleaning your watch. Use gentle strokes only.
- Don’t make yourself uncomfortable by trying to wear your watch too tightly. A snug fit should make it work.
- Always install any pending watchOS updates to prevent bugs and other issues.