Unlock your Pixel phone with the 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 biometric, like fingerprint or facial recognition.

Your phone can also automatically lock when it disconnects from your watch. To learn about this feature, go to Explore 'Lock phone when left behind'.

Get started with Watch Unlock

Important: 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 Tip: 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.
Before setting up Watch Unlock, your watch must be paired to your phone's Bluetooth.	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. The Pixel Watch will stay unlocked while on your wrist. Set up Watch Unlock through either the Google Pixel Watch app or the Android settings. To extend the battery life on the Pixel Watch, turn this feature off.

On the Google Pixel Watch app

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

Via Android settings

1. On your phone, go to Settings.
2. Tap Security and privacy Device unlock Face and Fingerprint Unlock Watch Unlock.
3. 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. Then, you can 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.

Learn how to change Face Unlock settings.

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

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

On your watch

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

Be 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.

Important: 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 the settings.

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

Explore 'Lock phone when left behind'

When your Pixel Watch is too far away and Bluetooth is disconnected, 'Lock phone when left behind' locks your phone automatically. This helps to reduce the risk of unauthorised access or theft.

Bluetooth disconnection and therefore phone auto-locking can also happen if you either turn on aeroplane mode or turn off Bluetooth.

Tip: You can still unlock your phone using biometrics, the PIN, pattern or password.

Turn on 'Lock phone when left behind'

By default, the 'Lock phone when left behind' feature is off.

Important: Turn on Bluetooth on both your phone and watch to enable this feature.

On the Google Pixel Watch app

1. On your phone, open the Google Pixel Watch app .
2. Tap Watch preference Security.
3. Turn on Lock phone when left behind.

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've forgetten your watch passcode

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

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

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

1. On your phone, go to Settings.
2. Tap Security and privacy More security settings Trust agents.
3. 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 Wear OS 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.