Unlock Pixel phone with Google Pixel Watch

Use the Google Pixel Watch Watch Unlock feature as a key to unlock your phone instead of using a traditional passcode or a biometric like a fingerprint or facial recognition.

What you'll need to get started

Note: Watch Unlock may take 24–48 hours to complete setup.

Watch requirements	Phone requirements
A Google Pixel Watch with a passcode set up.	A Google Pixel 4a+ that supports Android 13 or higher Note: Other devices like tablets can't be unlocked with Watch Unlock.
Your watch must be on and properly positioned on your wrist.	A phone with a passcode or biometric set up. Phones with no passcode set up will not be able to set up Watch Unlock until they complete this step first.
Your watch must be paired to your phone's Bluetooth before setting up Watch Unlock.	Unlock your phone with a passcode or biometric at least once a day to keep Watch Unlock active.

Watch requirements

Phone requirements

A Google Pixel Watch with a passcode set up.

A Google Pixel 4a+ that supports Android 13 or higher

Note: Other devices like tablets can't be unlocked with Watch Unlock.

Your watch must be on and properly positioned on your wrist.

A phone with a passcode or biometric set up. Phones with no passcode set up will not be able to set up Watch Unlock until they complete this step first.

Your watch must be paired to your phone's Bluetooth before setting up Watch Unlock.

Unlock your phone with a passcode or biometric at least once a day to keep Watch Unlock active.

Set up Watch Unlock

Set up Watch Unlock by first unlocking your watch while it's on your wrist. Pixel Watch will stay unlocked while on your wrist. Set up Watch Unlock through either the Google Pixel Watch app or through Android settings. To extend watch battery life on Pixel Watch, turn this feature off.

Setting up Watch Unlock through the Google Pixel Watch app

On your phone, open Google Pixel Watch .
Tap Watch preferences Security Watch Unlock.
Follow the on-screen instructions to finish setting up Watch Unlock.

Setting up Watch Unlock through Android settings

On your phone, go to Settings.
Tap Security and privacy Device unlock Face and Fingerprint Unlock Watch Unlock.
Follow the on-screen instructions to finish setting up Watch Unlock.

Once you've successfully added the Pixel Watch, your watch and the Pixel Watch app will display a confirmation screen and you can now use Watch Unlock.

Use Watch Unlock

When you're close to your phone, you can unlock it by swiping up on the lock screen or tapping a notification. You can also use your watch to unlock your phone when your face or fingerprint isn't recognised.

Your watch needs to be:

Unlocked
On your wrist
Near your phone

If your face isn't recognised and you have Skip lock screen turned on, your phone will unlock and show your last used screen.

If you have skip lock screen turned off, your phone will unlock and stay on the home screen.

Turn off Watch Unlock

On your phone

On your phone, open the Google Pixel Watch app .
Tap Watch preferences Security Watch Unlock Remove Remove.

On your watch

On your Google Pixel Watch, swipe down tap Settings .
Tap Security Watch Unlock Remove Confirm .

Get notified when your phone has been unlocked

Your watch will notify you when your phone has been unlocked by Watch Unlock. If the unlock was unintentional, press Lock on your watch to relock your phone.

Note: After relocking from your watch, Watch Unlock needs to be reactivated by using a passcode or biometric on your phone.

Turn off the vibration of the Watch Unlock notification in settings.

On your Google Pixel Watch, swipe down tap Settings .
Tap Vibration Watch Unlock.

Fix Watch Unlock issues

If Watch Unlock isn't working, check your settings and try these fixes:

Your phone and watch are too far away from each other

This helps prevent your phone from being accidentally unlocked from across the room. To relock your phone after getting an unlocked notification on your watch, press Lock on your watch.

Bluetooth is not connected

Make sure that the devices are reconnected in your Bluetooth settings. Once Bluetooth is reconnected and you've entered your passcode or biometrics, Watch Unlock will begin to work again.

You forget your watch passcode

Follow the reset tips in Fix account and password issues for Pixel Watch.

Your watch doesn't appear on the 'Choose your watch' screen

Make sure that your watch is paired to your phone's Bluetooth.
Check that the Google Pixel Watch app is updated to at least version 2.0+.
1. Open Google Pixel Watch .
2. Tap System Versions.
  You can also check in your watch.
3. On Google Pixel Watch, tap Settings System About Versions.
Once you've updated the app, restart your watch.

You have a 'Trust agent' error

For details, you should navigate to trust agents and turn on Watch Unlock.

On your phone, go to Settings.
Tap Security and privacy More security settings Trust agents.
Tap Watch Unlock (Google) to turn it on.

You're using a Google Workspace account that doesn't allow this feature

During setup, you may get the error 'This feature was blocked by work policy. If you have questions, contact your IT admin.' If you're using a Google Workspace account that's managed by an organisation, your IT admins may have chosen to turn off this feature for its corporate users.

You have Extend Unlock turned on

Both features can't work at the same time. Extend Unlock keeps the device unlocked and Watch Unlock unlocks the device. You can use one feature at a time but not both simultaneously.

Your watch needs to be updated to the latest software version

Your watch must be running an up-to-date version of WearOS to use Watch Unlock.

You can't add another watch

You can have one watch enrolled in Watch Unlock at any time. To add another watch, you must remove your first watch from Watch Unlock.

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