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I’m a fairly large fan of what Google is doing with its Pixel Watch and Pixel cellphone lineup. These gadgets are a few of the greatest methods to expertise Android on a smartwatch or a smartphone, and Google is regularly making issues even higher. One notably helpful function that Pixel Watch house owners can reap the benefits of is the Watch Unlock performance, which Google launched in late 2023.
It’s a fairly well-hidden function in that Google hasn’t actually actively marketed, and in contrast to the Apple Watch, which has watch unlock turned on by default, it’s important to manually activate the function on the Pixel Watch.
How Watch Unlock works
Watch Unlock is a extremely helpful function that permits your smartwatch to successfully bypass your different lock display screen safety performance. It is nice for these occasions when you might want to entry your cellphone however do not need to undergo the effort of coping with face unlock or placing in your passcode or fingerprint. In different phrases, you’ll be able to preserve your cellphone’s safety within the occasion that it is stolen or misplaced, however when it is simply you on the workplace or at residence, you do not have to leap by means of those self same hoops so long as your watch is close by.
When enabled, Watch Unlock permits you to deliver your watch near your cellphone, after which it unlocks it, and primarily based on a few of the different settings you’ve chosen (which we’ll contact on extra in a second), you may be given instantaneous entry to your last-used display screen, or you’ll swipe as much as entry your system without having to place in an unlock code.
use Watch Unlock on Pixel Watch
Now that you already know a bit extra about Watch Unlock, let’s discuss methods to truly use it. The very first thing you’ll want is a Pixel Watch or Pixel Watch 2 and a Pixel cellphone operating Android 13 or larger, just like the Pixel 8 Professional. Sadly, Watch Unlock on the Pixel Watch doesn’t appear to work with another Android gadgets, so for those who’re not sporting the entire pair, you’re out of luck on utilizing this helpful little function.
It also needs to be famous that Watch Unlock on the Pixel Watch doesn’t provide fairly the identical performance because it does on the Apple Watch, which is the place that I’ve probably the most expertise with this function. On the Apple Watch, you should utilize Watch Unlock to unlock each your cellphone and different Apple gadgets, however you can even use it to unlock your cellphone. The Pixel doesn’t provide this identical functionality, however perhaps Google will add it sooner or later, as it’s very nice not all the time having to place in a code on a tiny display screen like these discovered on smartwatches.
When you’ve got the wanted gadgets—a Pixel Watch and Pixel cellphone—then you’ll be able to reap the benefits of Watch Unlock by activating it by means of the next steps:
First, navigate to the Google Pixel Watch app in your Pixel cellphone. Faucet Watch preferences > Safety > Watch Unlock and toggle it on.
It’s also possible to flip it on in Android settings by navigating to Settings > Safety & privateness > System Unlock> Face & Fingerprint Unlock > Watch Unlock. Both methodology will ship you thru a set of on-screen directions that finish with Watch Unlock activated.
Now that Watch Unlock is activated, you should utilize it in just a few other ways. Like I discussed earlier than, how shortly you entry your cellphone after utilizing Watch Unlock will rely on some particular settings. When you’ve got Skip lock display screen turned on in your cellphone’s settings, having your Pixel Watch in your wrist, unlocked, and close to your cellphone will take you on to your final used display screen. If you happen to don’t have Skip lock display screen turned on, then it’ll unlock your cellphone, however nonetheless show the lock display screen, requiring you to swipe as much as entry the remainder of your system.
