Apple knows iOS 14.7 can't unlock your Apple Watch and it's going to fix it

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Apple Watch on passcode screen
Apple Watch on passcode screen (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • Apple is aware that Touch ID won't always unlock an Apple Watch after installing iOS 14.7.
  • The company says that the feature will return in an "upcoming software update."

Apple is aware that some people using an iPhone with Touch ID can't use it to unlock their Apple Watch after installing iOS 14.7 and, importantly, a fix is coming.

Having only been released to the public a day or so ago, Apple's iOS 14.7 already has a bug that's causing some consternation among those using iPhones with Touch ID. They're finding that while their fingerprint used to also unlock their Apple Watch, that's no longer the case after updating to iOS 14.7. Apple has already acknowledged the bug and says that it will be "addressed in an upcoming software update." The company hasn't said when that update will arrive, however, so let's hope people won't have to wait for iOS 15 to drop this fall.

When you have Unlock with iPhone turned on, unlocking your iPhone unlocks your Apple Watch as long as you're wearing it. An issue in iOS 14.7 affects the ability of iPhone models with Touch ID to unlock Apple Watch.

Apple says that for now at least, users should continue to unlock their Apple Watches by entering their passcode manually.

Of course, one way around this could be to upgrade to an iPhone with Face ID seeing as this issue only seems to impact Touch ID devices. Check out our list of the best iPhone deals before you go placing any orders, though! Apple also has its iPhone 13 release just around the corner, so maybe wait for that to arrive before nabbing yourself a new iPhone.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.