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To be fair, your Apple Watch becomes a secure authenticator for your Mac when paired, so Apple probably prefers that you just buy an Apple Watch.

by nunez 11mo ago

plorkyeran 11mo ago
TouchID does more than just unlock the computer. It's usable any time you'd otherwise be prompted for your password.
- graeme 11mo ago
  You can use apple watch for password managers and all macos passwords prompts. Does require an apple silicon mac iirc. The main downside is it doesn't always recognize and it takes a few seconds to trigger. I'd love a separate touch id. But absent that the watch is quite useful.
- nunez 11mo ago
  there's a PAM that you can install that lets you use your Watch for superuser actions. i uninstalled it some years ago because it got kind-of old and Watch authentication is buggy anyway.
geerlingguy 11mo ago
I tried living with just the Apple Watch instead of the Touch ID for a few months to see how reliable it was... Sometimes it would take a few minutes in the morning before my Mac would even recognize 'hey, there's a watch' (typing in my full password was usually much quicker than waiting for the watch unlock). Sometimes whatever notification happens that triggers the watch to vibrate and allow the double-squeeze-to-accept action would just... not. Other times the above notification would pop up about 8-15 seconds after the prompt on the screen. It was inconsistent enough I got _really_ good at typing my password, since it was normally quicker than waiting on the Apple Watch. Contrast that with the Touch ID, that's always ready to go.
- nunez 11mo ago
  It's quite buggy, I agree. I'm with you, though; I'd love a Touch ID button.
commandersaki 11mo ago
Can the watch authenticate it is who you really are? Asking because I do not know anything about the watches.
- wsces 11mo ago
  The watch needs to be unlocked either with a PIN code or can be set to unlock on close proximity to iPhone which unlocks via Face ID (or Touch ID, or a passcode). Once it is in an authenticated state it remains unlocked while it is attached to a wrist. I’m not totally clear how it detects when it separates from a wrist (probably a light sensor, heart rate sensor or some heuristic derived from the both - but it’s pretty instantaneous and reliable). “Privileged” actions like payments or escalation prompts still require a double click of the watch’s physical button to confirm, but in this authenticated state it is possible to use the watch to unlock Mac or iPhone based on proximity alone. It has no concept of “who” you are, only that it got positively authenticated while on a wrist by proximity to your iPhone unlock or a manual correct PIN entry and hasn’t separated from that wrist since.
- JohnBooty 11mo ago
  The Apple Watch knows that it's you, or at least somebody that knows your PIN. It's tied to your iPhone and Apple account during initial setup. Each time you put the Apple Watch on, you have to enter your PIN to unlock it. It can only perform automatic unlocking of your Mac and iPhone in this unlocked state. The watch does automatic wrist detection and it will automatically RE-lock itself as soon as you take it off. This is reasonably secure for most needs, though of course you can disable all of this automatic unlocking if you want more security. I forget if it's on by default or not. IIRC I had to enable it but I'm not too sure.
  - mingus88 11mo ago
    TouchID is biometric so these are not equivalent authentication methods. As a watch user i will also say that the Bluetooth wake is unreliable enough to make this a poor replacement. Frustrating, even.
grishka 11mo ago
Apple Watch requires an iPhone. There are many people who use a Mac but can't stand iOS.
- DANmode 11mo ago
  > Apple Watch requires an iPhone. I’m no Apple salesperson, but, no. Once you set the watch up, you can throw the phone in a lake, and retain most if not all major features. Especially the cellular models.
  - RedComet 11mo ago
    "once you set the watch up" This does require an iPhone though, right?
    - DANmode 11mo ago
      Access to someone’s, once. An achievable bar for people buying Dick Tracy computers.
      - lucyjojo 11mo ago
        if i remember right, to activate the security (touch id like) feature you need the phone to be on your account. there are more restrictions than just pure activation.
        DANmode 11mo ago
        Even for cellular models? That seems…ripe for disruption. Why is nobody selling a cellular standalone watch? Not enough units to make manufacturing worth it? Is this a chicken-and-egg problem?
mvdtnz 11mo ago
Great reason to wear the world's ugliest, dorkiest watch.
rcarmo 11mo ago
Doesn’t work for signing in to web sites or apps.

To be fair, your Apple Watch becomes a secure authenticator for your Mac when paired, so Apple probably prefers that you just buy an Apple Watch.

by nunez 11mo ago

To be fair, your Apple Watch becomes a secure authenticator for your Mac when paired, so Apple probably prefers that you just buy an Apple Watch.

plorkyeran 11mo ago

TouchID does more than just unlock the computer. It's usable any time you'd otherwise be prompted for your password.

graeme 11mo ago
You can use apple watch for password managers and all macos passwords prompts. Does require an apple silicon mac iirc. The main downside is it doesn't always recognize and it takes a few seconds to trigger. I'd love a separate touch id. But absent that the watch is quite useful.
nunez 11mo ago
there's a PAM that you can install that lets you use your Watch for superuser actions. i uninstalled it some years ago because it got kind-of old and Watch authentication is buggy anyway.

geerlingguy 11mo ago

I tried living with just the Apple Watch instead of the Touch ID for a few months to see how reliable it was... Sometimes it would take a few minutes in the morning before my Mac would even recognize 'hey, there's a watch' (typing in my full password was usually much quicker than waiting for the watch unlock). Sometimes whatever notification happens that triggers the watch to vibrate and allow the double-squeeze-to-accept action would just... not. Other times the above notification would pop up about 8-15 seconds after the prompt on the screen. It was inconsistent enough I got _really_ good at typing my password, since it was normally quicker than waiting on the Apple Watch. Contrast that with the Touch ID, that's always ready to go.

nunez 11mo ago
It's quite buggy, I agree. I'm with you, though; I'd love a Touch ID button.

commandersaki 11mo ago

Can the watch authenticate it is who you really are? Asking because I do not know anything about the watches.

wsces 11mo ago
The watch needs to be unlocked either with a PIN code or can be set to unlock on close proximity to iPhone which unlocks via Face ID (or Touch ID, or a passcode). Once it is in an authenticated state it remains unlocked while it is attached to a wrist. I’m not totally clear how it detects when it separates from a wrist (probably a light sensor, heart rate sensor or some heuristic derived from the both - but it’s pretty instantaneous and reliable). “Privileged” actions like payments or escalation prompts still require a double click of the watch’s physical button to confirm, but in this authenticated state it is possible to use the watch to unlock Mac or iPhone based on proximity alone. It has no concept of “who” you are, only that it got positively authenticated while on a wrist by proximity to your iPhone unlock or a manual correct PIN entry and hasn’t separated from that wrist since.
JohnBooty 11mo ago
The Apple Watch knows that it's you, or at least somebody that knows your PIN. It's tied to your iPhone and Apple account during initial setup. Each time you put the Apple Watch on, you have to enter your PIN to unlock it. It can only perform automatic unlocking of your Mac and iPhone in this unlocked state. The watch does automatic wrist detection and it will automatically RE-lock itself as soon as you take it off. This is reasonably secure for most needs, though of course you can disable all of this automatic unlocking if you want more security. I forget if it's on by default or not. IIRC I had to enable it but I'm not too sure.
- mingus88 11mo ago
  TouchID is biometric so these are not equivalent authentication methods. As a watch user i will also say that the Bluetooth wake is unreliable enough to make this a poor replacement. Frustrating, even.

grishka 11mo ago

Apple Watch requires an iPhone. There are many people who use a Mac but can't stand iOS.

DANmode 11mo ago
> Apple Watch requires an iPhone. I’m no Apple salesperson, but, no. Once you set the watch up, you can throw the phone in a lake, and retain most if not all major features. Especially the cellular models.
- RedComet 11mo ago
  "once you set the watch up" This does require an iPhone though, right?
  - DANmode 11mo ago
    Access to someone’s, once. An achievable bar for people buying Dick Tracy computers.
    - lucyjojo 11mo ago
      if i remember right, to activate the security (touch id like) feature you need the phone to be on your account. there are more restrictions than just pure activation.
      - DANmode 11mo ago
        Even for cellular models? That seems…ripe for disruption. Why is nobody selling a cellular standalone watch? Not enough units to make manufacturing worth it? Is this a chicken-and-egg problem?

mvdtnz 11mo ago

Great reason to wear the world's ugliest, dorkiest watch.

rcarmo 11mo ago

Doesn’t work for signing in to web sites or apps.