Apple Watch Can Display Apple ID Verification Codes Starting in watchOS 6

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Starting in watchOS 6, the Apple Watch has become a trusted device for Apple ID authentication purposes.

apple watch apple id verification code watchos 6
When you or someone else signs in to your ‌Apple ID‌ on a new device or browser, the Apple Watch will automatically alert you, complete with an approximate location of the person. If the sign-in attempt is allowed, a six-digit verification code will then appear to be entered on the new device or browser.


This functionality has been available on iPhones and iPads since iOS 9, and on Macs since OS X El Capitan, for ‌Apple ID‌ accounts with two-factor authentication enabled. Now, users simply have one more option in the Apple Watch.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Tags: Apple ID Guide, Two-Factor Authentication
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

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Top Rated Comments

BeyondtheTech Avatar
BeyondtheTech
88 months ago
About friggin' time.

Will it also do parental approvals for family purchases?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
P
PastaPrimav
88 months ago
It is unbelievable how annoying they've managed to make 2-factor authentication.

I have never ever once logged in as myself on a "foreign" machine that is not one that is owned by me and under my exclusive control, yet I'm forced to deal with Apple's 2-factor all the time. Seemingly every time I log in to my developer account or any Apple domain in Safari. "Trust" this browser? Yeah, my ass. Until the very next time I log in.

What we need is an authentication-free experience when we've sufficiently proven that we are in fact the person using the machine. Unlocking the Mac with Apple Watch should be the key. After that, I should not be forced to provide authentication of any kind, (unless I opt to enable app per app in settings).

It is absurd that they haven't taken the steps to embrace this more. Unlocking with Apple Watch is more than enough to prove that it is my sitting at the machine, and I shouldn't need to enter passwords anywhere, let alone deal with 2-factor.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
P
PastaPrimav
88 months ago
This is a lot better than hitting “allow” on your phone and trying to memorize it.
OR even better....hitting Allow on the same Mac you're logging in on, that wants you to prove that it is you.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
K
konqerror
88 months ago

It is absurd that they haven't taken the steps to embrace this more. Unlocking with Apple Watch is more than enough to prove that it is my sitting at the machine, and I shouldn't need to enter passwords anywhere, let alone deal with 2-factor.
Yeah, Microsoft managed to do this far better for years now. You sign in once through Windows Hello and it handles native Windows sign-ins and Microsoft properties through Edge. The latest update of Windows 10 extends this to third-party sites via FIDO2. All TPM bound so it's like a dongle.

Apple is the only company who requires you to type in a stupid number, everybody else, Microsoft, Google, Duo, just have you press OK on the authentication notification.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
macduke
88 months ago
So I can pay for stuff with my Apple Watch without having to do anything and use it to unlock my Mac, but I have to punch in a code I read off my wrist? Why can't it just send a signal to my device to approve it? Better yet, why can't being on your Mac and signed into iCloud on a logged-in device (past the passcode/login screen) already be enough authorization to sign in to a website? I thought Apple was all about ease of use and having proprietary system integration in their apps. At the least it should work with Safari.

About friggin' time.

Will it also do parental approvals for family purchases?
Would also be great for approving/denying additional time on their iPad.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
Mobster1983
88 months ago
OR even better....hitting Allow on the same Mac you're logging in on, that wants you to prove that it is you.
This is my favorite. And the code popping up in a separate window on the SAME device!!!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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