Starting in watchOS 6, the Apple Watch has become a trusted device for Apple ID authentication purposes.
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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.
Something I haven’t seen before watchOS 6: the Apple Watch can now receive and display Apple ID Verification Codes as a trusted device for 2-factor authentication. pic.twitter.com/Oin8AbYEDc — Jeremy Horwitz (@horwitz) June 10, 2019
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.
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Top Rated Comments
Will it also do parental approvals for family purchases?
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.
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.
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.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.
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.
About friggin' time.
Would also be great for approving/denying additional time on their iPad.Will it also do parental approvals for family purchases?
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!!!