iOS 14.7 Bug May Prevent iPhones With Touch ID From Automatically Unlocking Apple Watch

Following the release of iOS 14.7, watchOS 7.6, and several other operating system updates this week, Apple has acknowledged that a bug in iOS 14.7 could prevent users from being able to unlock their Apple Watches by simply unlocking their paired Touch ID-equipped iPhones.

iphone unlock apple watch
Apple's temporary workaround for the bug is for the user to type their passcode into their Apple Watch to unlock it rather than relying on their iPhone, and Apple says the issue will be addressed in a future software update.

Users who have forgotten their Apple Watch passcodes will need to reset their Apple Watches. Enterprise users whose iPhones are loaded with MDM profiles that require alphanumeric passcodes will need to work with their MDM administrators to remove the passcode requirement and then unpair, erase, and set up their Apple Watches again.

We have seen a few signs of iOS 14.7.1 in our site analytics over the past few days, so this will presumably be a relatively short turnaround on a bug fix update rather than a more significant update with an extended beta testing period. We have not seen any sign of a larger iOS 14.8 update in our analytics, and we expect that we will only see minor bug fix updates until Apple officially releases iOS 15 in a few months.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Related Forum: iOS 14

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Resolutions Leak With Under-Screen Camera Tipped

Monday April 14, 2025 3:12 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold") will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them. According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 inches, will use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution and feature "under-screen camera technology." Meanwhile, the...
iPad Pro iPadOS

iPadOS 19 Will Be 'More Like macOS' in Three Ways

Sunday April 13, 2025 6:43 am PDT by
A common complaint about the iPad Pro is that the iPadOS software platform fails to fully take advantage of the device's powerful hardware. That could soon change. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS." Gurman said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like a Mac" in three ways:Improved productivity Improved multitasking Improved app window management...
Apple Vision Pro with battery Feature Blue Magenta

Vision Pro 2 Rumored to Have Two Key Advantages Over Current Model

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:15 am PDT by
Apple is working on a new version of the Vision Pro with two key advantages over the current model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Specifically, in his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said Apple is developing a new headset that is both lighter and less expensive than the current Vision Pro, which starts at $3,499 in the U.S. and weighs up to 1.5 pounds. Gurman said Apple is also...
Apple Bristol Current

An Apple Store in the UK is Permanently Closing Later This Year

Monday April 14, 2025 7:33 am PDT by
Apple has confirmed that it will be permanently closing its retail store in the heart of Bristol, England, and there is no replacement in sight. Apple Bristol in 2023 Apple Bristol will be closing its doors on Saturday, August 9, due to redevelopment plans at the Cabot Circus Shopping Centre, and the adjacent Bristol Shopping Quarter. According to news reports, and a building application, the ...
iPhone 6s MacRumors YouTube

Apple Says These Products Are Now Vintage

Tuesday April 15, 2025 9:53 am PDT by
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage. The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...

Top Rated Comments

MacDevil7334 Avatar
49 months ago
I just don’t understand how this keeps happening with iOS updates. 14.7 went through like 5 beta versions that were publicly available. Does Apple just go and drop untested code into the final release version? We get these “bugs that didn’t show up in the betas” like every 2-3 releases it seems. What is going on?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
insomniac86 Avatar
49 months ago
Good work beta testers ?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Marshall73 Avatar
49 months ago
This rarely ever works for me anyway.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wildkraut Avatar
49 months ago

Good work beta testers ?
Well, it’s not the unpaid beta testers responsibility to test such things. Apple is sitting on a pile of money, and simply should invest more into QM and testing. Voluntary software testers can‘t replace paid testers. Anyway, I bet if you could go through all the existing bug reports, You’ll find it there.

?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stuipdboy1000 Avatar
49 months ago
I had an issue unlocking on a Face ID phone this morning so I think it’s maybe a bit more widespread than just Touch ID phones.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
49 months ago
This is exactly why I have not upgraded from iOS 13.7 yet, waiting on 14.7.1.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)